Gauhati High Court
Page No.# 1/ vs Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited And 4 Ors on 29 July, 2025
Page No.# 1/11
GAHC010173892023
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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
Case No. : WP(C)/4592/2023
BIPUL NATH AND 23 ORS
S/O - LATE DHANI RAM NATH,
R/O- VILL. KAILASH NAGA (BYE LANE 1), P.O - TEZPUR, DIST - SONITPUR,
ASSAM, 784001
2: BUBUL BHUYAN
S/O- SRI BOPARAM BHUYAN
R/O- VILL. BETANIJHAR (GOROIMARI)
P.O- SALONIBARI
DIST - SONITPUR
ASSAM
3: NRIPENDRA HALOI
S/O- SRI BISESWAR HALOI
R/O- VILL- SINGIMARI (BANGALIGAON)
P.O.-KACHARIGAON
DIST - SONITPUR
ASSAM
4: BHABEN CHANDRA SAIKIA
S/O - SRI DULAL CHANDRA SAIKIA
R/O- VILLAGE-RENGONIJHAR (GOROIMARI) P.O. SALONIBARI
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
5: MRIDUL DEKA
S/O- LATE JADAV DEKA
R/O-VILLAGE- BANGRAM
P.O.-BANGRAM
DISTRICT- NALBARI
ASSAM
6: NIPUL CHOUDHURY
Page No.# 2/11
S/O- LATE NAREN CHOUDHURY
R/O-VILLAGE- SANKAR NAGAR (WEST HAZARAPAR)
P.O.- TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
7: KAMAL CHANDRA DAS
S/O-LATE SATYANATH DAS
R/O- VILLAGE- PARBOTI NAGAR (LOHIT GOSWAMI PATH) P.O. TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
8: GHANASHYAM LASKAR
S/O- OF LATE BIPIN LAHKAR
R/O- VILLAGE BORPULLA
P.O. BARANGHATI
DISTRICT- KAMRUP
ASSAM
9: BHAGYA SANGMA
S/O-LATE BHUPEN SANGMA
R/O- VILLAGE- PURANAKAL (KALIBARI)
P.O.- KALIBARI
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
10: UTTAM SAHA
S/O- AJIT SAHA
R/O VILLAGE 4- HARIPATTI
P.O. TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM-784001
11: RANA SUR
S/O- GAURANGA SUR
R/O-VILLAGE NEPALIPATTI GANESHMILL CHARIALI
P.O. TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM.
12: RAMESH CHANDRA NATH
S/O- LATE MANESWAR NATH
R/O-VILLAGE- KHUDRA KATARA
P.O.- CHANGNOI
Page No.# 3/11
DISTRICT- NALBARI
ASSAM
13: JITU TALUKDAR
S/O- LATE B.R. TALUKDAR
R/O VILLAGE- BASANTIPUR
P.O.- TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM.
14: SANKAR GHATAK
S/O- OF LATE N.C. GHATAK
R/O- CIVIL HOSPITAL ROAD
P.O.- TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
15: MAHESH DEKA
S/O- LATE BIPIN DEKA
R/O- VILLAGE- KUMARGAON
P.O.-TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
16: PULIN BORAH
S/O- RUDRA KANTA BORAH
R/O-VILLAGE NEPALIPATTI BAMUNGAON
P.O. TEZPUR
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
17: BIJIT BORAH
S/O - LATE GIRIDHAR BORAH
R/O- PATIA CHUBURI
P.O.- DEKARGAON
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
18: PULAK KUMAR HALOI
S/O- CHANDRA KANTA HALOI
R/O - VILLAGE DEURIGAON
P.O- KETEKIBARI
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
Page No.# 4/11
19: KALPANA SAIKIA
W/O -SRI ATUL SALKIA
R/O- VILLAGE- NIKMUL SATRA
P.O.- MAHABHAIRAB
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM.
20: BASANTA BIJOY MAHANTA
S/O - LATE RAJANI KANTA MAHANTA
R/O- CHANDAMARI
P.O.- HALEM
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
21: PANKAJ CHETRI
S/O- SRI AMAR BAHADUR CHETRI
R/O -VILLAGE- SILIKHABARI
P.O. -SILIKHABARI
DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM.
22: BALIN DAS
S/O- SRI BHELU DAS
R/O- VILLAGE- SENSOWA MATAK GAON
P.O.- SENSOWA TINIALI
DISTRICT- NAGAON
ASSAM.
23: BUBUL SAIKIA
S/O - LATE LOHIT CHANDRA SAIKIA
R/O- VILLAGE- BAROHOLIA PADMAPATI ROAD
P.O. -TEZPUR DISTRICT- SONITPUR
ASSAM
24: ANIL THAKUR
S/O- MAHENDRA THAKUR
R/O- VILLAGE-CHAK KUCHIARI
P.O.- LOHKINI
DISTRICT- VAISHALI
BIHAR
VERSUS
BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED AND 4 ORS
Page No.# 5/11
REPRESENTED BY CHARMAN CUM MANAGING DIRECTOR, BHARAT
SANCHAR BHAVAN, HARISH CHANDRA MATHUR LANE, JANPATH, NEW
DELHI-110 001
2:THE DIRECTOR (HRD)
BSNL
CORPORATE OFFICE
BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN
HARISH CHANDRA MATHUR LANE
JANPATH
NEW DELHI-110 001
3:THE CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER TELECOM
ASSAM TELECOM CIRCLE
ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING.
FLOOR
PANBAZAR
GUWAHATI
ASSAM
781001
4:THE GENERAL MANAGER
TELECOM DISTRICT TEZPUR
SSA
BSNL
TEZPUR-784001
5:THE TELECOM DISTRICT ENGINEER
TEZPUR SSA
BSNL
TEZPUR-78400
Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. N BORAH, MR. N BORAH(P-1),MR. K N CHOUDHURY(P-
1),MR M.J. BHARALI,N AHMED
Advocate for the Respondent : SC, BSNL, T NATH (R-1,2,3,4),MR V KUMAR (R-1,2,3,4),MR B
HAZARIKA (R-1,2,3,4),MR B PATHAK (R-1,2,3,4)
Linked Case : WP(C)/4941/2023
BHUPEN BARMAN AND 3 ORS.
S/O- SRI SUREN BARMAN
Page No.# 6/11
R/O- VILL. NO. 2 SAIKIA SUBURI
P.O.- ORANG
DIST.- DARRANG
ASSAM
PIN- 784114.
2: PARIMAL KUMAR SARKAR
S/O- SRI RATI RANJAN SARKAR
R/O- WARD NO. 6
INDRA BORA PATH
P.O.- DHEKIAJULI
DIST.- SONITPUR
ASSAM. PIN -784110.
3: MIRAN DAIMARY
S/O- SHIRAN DAIMARY
R/O- VILL. NO. 2 SANTIPUR
P.O.- UDALGURI
DIST.- DARRANG
ASSAM
PIN- 784509.
4: YAMA KANTA CHAMLAGAI
S/O- SRI KHARA NANDA CHAMLAGAI
R/O- VILL. GORUDUBA
P.O.- GORUDUBA
DIST.- SONITPUR
ASSAM
PIN- 784149.
VERSUS
BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD AND 4 ORS.
REPRESENTED BY CHAIRMAN CUM MANAGING DIRECTOR
BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN
Page No.# 7/11
HARISH CHANDRA MATHUR LANE
JANPATH
NEW DELHI- 110001.
2:THE DIRECTOR (HRD)
BSNL
CORPORATE OFFICE
BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN
HARISH CHANDRA MATHUR LANE
JANPATH
NEW DELHI- 110001.
3:THE CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER
TELECOM
ASSAM TELECOM CIRCLE
ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING
FLOOR
PANBAZAR
GUWAHATI
ASSAM
781001.
4:THE GENERAL MANAGER
TELECOM DISTRICT TEZPUR
SSA
BSNL
TEZPUR- 784001.
5:THE TELECOM DISTRICT ENGINEER
TEZPUR SSA
BSNL
TEZPUR- 784001.
------------
Advocate for : MR. N BORAH
Advocate for : SC
BSNL appearing for BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD AND 4 ORS.
Linked Case : WP(C)/4942/2023
DAMBARU CHUTIA AND 2 ORS.
S/O- GHANA KANTA CHUTIA
Page No.# 8/11
R/O- VILL- CHAMARAJAN
P.O.- CHAMARAJAN
DIST.- DHEMAJI
ASSAM.
2: DIPALI HAZARIKA
C/O- SRI NIRANJAN HAZARIKA
R/O- USHA NAGAR
BYE LANE-24
P.O.- TEZPUR
DIST.- SONITPUR
ASSAM.
3: UJJAL MAHANTA
S/O- LATE JOGEN MAHANTA
R/O- VILL. KEKARPOOL
P.O.- TEZPUR
DIST.- SONITPUR
ASSAM.
VERSUS
BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD AND 4 ORS.
REPRESENTED BY CHAIRMAN CUM MANAGING DIRECTOR
BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN
HARISH CHANDRA MATHUR LANE
JANPATH
NEW DELHI- 110001.
2:THE DIRECTOR (HRD)
BSNL
CORPORATE OFFICE
BHARAT SANCHAR BHAVAN
HARISH CHANDRA MATHUR LANE
JANPATH
Page No.# 9/11
NEW DELHI- 110001.
3:THE CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER
TELECOM
ASSAM TELECOM CIRCLE
ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING
FLOOR
PANBAZAR
GUWAHATI
ASSAM
781001.
4:THE GENERAL MANAGER
TELECOM DISTRICT TEZPUR
SSA
BSNL
TEZPUR- 784001.
5:THE TELECOM DISTRICT ENGINEER
TEZPUR SSA
BSNL
TEZPUR- 784001.
------------
Advocate for : MR. N BORAH
Advocate for : SC
BSNL appearing for BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LTD AND 4 ORS.
BEFORE
HONOURABLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. ASHUTOSH KUMAR
HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN DEV CHOUDHURY
ORDER
29-07-2025
(Arun Dev Choudhury,J)
1. Heard Mr. K. N. Choudhury, learned Senior counsel assisted by Mr. N. Gautam,
learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. B. Pathak, learned Standing counsel
representing the respondent Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL in short).
Page No.# 10/11
2. The petitioners in these three writ petitions are the Casual Labourers, who had
been rendering long years of service under BSNL. Along with similarly placed persons,
they had earlier approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Guwahati Bench by
filing original applications, i.e., O.A. Nos. 205/2011, 282/2011 & 286/2011. Their common
prayer before the aforesaid Tribunal was to grant them ' Temporary Status' under the
Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status and Regularization Scheme) with effect from
27.05.1996 and to extend all the consequential service benefits.
3. Such prayer was rejected and all the original applications were dismissed by the
CAT, Guwahati Bench under the common order dated 13.05.2015.
4. Some applicants before the CAT, Guwahati Bench, whose cases were dismissed
by the learned Tribunal, approached this Court by preferring separate writ petitions, which
were registered as WP(C) Nos. 2228/2016, 2229/2016, 2058/2016 and the same were
allowed by a Co-ordinate Bench under its order dated 15.06.2017, with a direction to the
concerned authorities to work out the benefits to which the petitioners are entitled to.
5. Subsequently, in similar circumstances, the Co-ordinate Bench in WP(C) No.
5353/2015, also observed that the determination made in the common judgment and
order dated 15.06.2017 passed in WP(C) Nos. 2228/2016, 2229/2016 & 2058/2016, shall
cover the similarly situated persons and accordingly, WP(C) No. 5353/2015 was allowed
by the order dated 30.08.2017 in terms of the common judgment and order dated
15.06.2017 (supra).
6. Such determination was challenged before the Hon'ble Apex Court by the Union
of India, however, the Hon'ble Apex Court negated such challenge and dismissed SLP(C)
No. 24868-24873/2018 under its order dated 29.03.2023, leaving all the questions of law
open.
7. Claiming to be similarly situated with that of the petitioners in WP(C) Nos.
2228/2016, 2229/2016, 2058/2016 & 5353/2015, the present writ petitions are filed.
Page No.# 11/11
8. The BSNL authorities have not disputed that the petitioners in these writ
petitions and the petitioners in WP(C) Nos. 2228/2016, 2229/2016, 2058/2016 &
5353/2015, are factually similarly situated, however, they have raised an objection that
the Hon'ble Apex Court, kept the question of law open in its order dated 29.03.2023.
9. In the considered opinion of this Court, when the petitioners are admittedly
similarly situated, they cannot be refused the benefits that had been granted by the Co-
ordinate Bench under its order dated 15.06.2017 and the order dated 30.08.2017.
10. Accordingly, the present writ petitions also stand allowed in terms of the common
judgment and order dated 15.06.2017 passed in WP(C) Nos. 2228/2016, 2229/2016 &
2058/2016 and the BSNL authorities shall now work out the benefits to which the
petitioners are entitled under the Casual Labourers (Grant of Temporary Status and
Regularization Scheme) and all the consequential benefits to which the petitioners are
entitled to be given.
11. All the three writ petitions are accordingly allowed. No cost.
JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE
Comparing Assistant
