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CGHC010159092023 2026:CGHC:33429
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
WPS No. 3155 of 2023
Ramayan Suryavanshi @ Ramayan Kumar Suryavanshi S/o Shri J. R. Suryavanshi Aged About 40 Years, Occupation- Service, Presently Posted As Personal Assistant, Office Of The Engineer-In-Chief, Department Of Public Health Engineering Atal Nagar, Indrawati Bhawan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
... Petitioner.
Versus
1. State Of Chhattisgarh Through Secretary, Public Health And Engineering Department, Mahanadi Bhavan, Mantralaya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
2. Engineer- In- Chief Public Health Engineering Department, Indrawati Bhavan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
3. Superintendent Engineer (Administration) Office Of The Enginner- In- Chief, Public Health And Engineering Department, Indravati Bhavan Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
4. Joint Director Office Of The Engineer-In- Chief Public Health And Engineering Department Indravati Bhavan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
5. In- Charge Superintending Engineer Office Of The Engineer-In- Chief Public Health And Engineering Department Indravati Bhavan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
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6. Executive Engineer Office Of The Engineer-In- Chief Public Health And Engineering Department Indravati Bhavan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
7. Presenting Officer ( D P C) Office Superintendent Office Of The Engineer- In- Chief Public Health And Engineering Department Indravati Bhavan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
8. Vijay Kumar Parate Personal Assistant Office Of The Engineer-In- Chief Public Health And Engineering Department Indravati Bhavan, Naya Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
... Respondents.
(cause title downloaded from CIS Periphery)
| For Petitioner |
: |
Mr. Sourabh Sharma, Advocate. |
| For Res No.1 to 7/State |
: |
Mr. Anish Tiwari, Dy. GA. |
| For Respondent No.8 |
: |
Mr. Shobhit Koshta, Advocate. |
( Hon'ble Shri Justice Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi )
Order on Board
03/08/2026
1. This Writ Petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed for the followings reliefs:-
"10.1 That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to quashing the impugned order dated 14/02/2023 passed by the respondent No. 2 and to quash the minutes of meeting convened by the Departmental Promotion Committee dated 18/01/2023 (Annexure-P/1 Colly.).
10.2 That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue appropriate writ/writs, order/orders or direction commanding the official respondent to convened the meeting of review DPC for considering the case of the petitioner to the promotional post of Senior Personal Assistant w.e.f. 14/02/2023.
10.3 That, the Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue appropriate writ, orders or directions declaring the petitioner
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is entitled for promotional post of Senior Personal Assistant and also entitled for consequential service benefits with effect from 14/02/2023 holding that in a DPC dated 24.11.2023 petitioner already found fit for promotion and as per circular dated 02.09.2021 private respondent is not entitled for promotion and any service benefit .
10.4 Any other relief which may deems fit may also be awarded along with cost of the petition."
2. Facts of the case, in brief, are that the petitioner and private Respondent No. 8 were posted as Personal Assistants in the Department of Public Health Engineering. Respondent No. 8 was senior to the petitioner in the Gradation List (Annexure-P/5). In the meeting of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) held on 24.11.2022 (Annexure-P/6), both the petitioner and Respondent No. 8 were found fit for promotion. However, since the High-Level Caste Scrutiny Committee had cancelled the Caste Certificate of Respondent No. 8 who claimed to belong to the Scheduled Tribe category vide order dated 17.05.2019 (Annexure-P/10), and the said cancellation was subsequently stayed by this Court in WPS No. 4807/2019 (Vijay Kumar Parate Vs. State Of Chhattisgarh) on 01.07.2019, the promotion of Respondent No. 8 was kept in a sealed envelope. Subsequently, in the Review DPC meeting dated 18.01.2023 (Annexure-P/1), the petitioner and Respondent No. 8 were again held fit for promotion. In light of the stay order passed in WPS No. 4807/2019, Respondent No. 8 was promoted to the post of Senior Personal Assistant vide order dated 14.02.2023 (Annexure-P/1), which has been challenged in the instant writ petition.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that prior to the Review DPC meeting dated 18.01.2023, the State Government issued a circular vide order
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Annexure-P/7 dated 02.09.2021 in light of various judgments passed by this High Court. The circular provided that individuals who do not belong to the 'Halba/Halbi Koshti' Scheduled Tribe category of Madhya Pradesh, but migrated from outside the State and obtained caste certificates fraudulently, are neither entitled to protection of their employment nor eligible to secure employment. Counsel further submits that on the basis of the State Government's circular and the stay order passed in WPS No. 4807/2019, Respondent No.2, vide order dated 24.08.2023 (Annexure-R/1), reverted the promotion of Respondent No.8 and re-posted him as Personal Assistant. He contends that since the petitioner was found fit for promotion in both DPC meetings and the promotion of Respondent No.8 was reverted, the competent Authority ought to have granted promotion to the petitioner as Senior Personal Assistant, which unfortunately was not done. He further submits that under sub-rule (4) of Rule 6 of the Chhattisgarh Public Services (Promotion) Rules, 2003, meetings of the Departmental Promotion Committee must be held every year, but the respondents have failed to act in accordance with the rule. Therefore, considering that the promotional post of Senior Personal Assistant has been lying vacant since 2022 and the petitioner was found fit twice by the DPC, learned counsel prays that the respondents be directed to promote the petitioner to the post of Senior Personal Assistant and grant all reliefs sought.
4. Learned counsel representing Respondents No. 1 to 7/State filed their reply. Referring to the reply, the learned State counsel submits that because the order dated 14.02.2023 (Annexure-P/1) promoting Respondent No. 8 was recalled vide order dated 24.08.2023 (Annexure-R/1), the writ petition has become infructuous. However, State counsel also submits that since the order
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dated 17.05.2019 passed by the High-Level Caste Scrutiny Committee was stayed by this Court in WPS No. 4807/2019, the department ought not to have recalled the promotion order dated 14.02.2023, and that it was recalled wrongly vide Annexure-R/1. He further submits that although both the petitioner and Respondent No.8 were found fit for promotion, but since Respondent No.8 has been granted stay order by this Court and he is senior to the petitioner, Respondent No.8 is primarily eligible for promotion.
5. Learned counsel for Respondent No.8 has not filed a separate reply, however, he adopts and supports the contentions made by the learned State counsel.
6. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the documents available on record.
7. Respondent No.8 claims to belong to the Scheduled Tribe category, but his caste certificate was cancelled by the High-Level Caste Scrutiny Committee vide order dated 17.05.2019 (Annexure-P/10). However, the effect and operation of the order dated 17.05.2019 was stayed by this Court on 01.07.2019 in WPS No. 4807/2019 (Vijay Kumar Parate v. State of Chhattisgarh & Ors.).
8. Subsequently, in the DPC meeting dated 24.11.2022 (Annexure-P/6), both the petitioner and private Respondent No.8 were found fit for promotion to the post of Senior Personal Assistant, but in view of the stay order, the promotion of Respondent No.8 who was senior to the petitioner was kept in a sealed envelop. Further, in the Review DPC meeting dated 18.01.2023 (Annexure-P/1), both candidates were again found fit for promotion, but in light of the stay order passed by this Court, Respondent No.8 was promoted to the post of Senior Personal Assistant vide order dated 14.02.2023.
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9. It is surprising that while the respondent authorities themselves promoted Respondent No.8 to the post of Senior Personal Assistant pursuant to the stay order dated 01.07.2019 passed in WPS No. 4807/2019, they later recalled his promotion order vide order dated 24.08.2023 (Annexure-R/1) relying upon the circular dated 02.09.2021.
10. At this stage, it is apt to reproduce the circular dated 02.09.2021 (Annexure- P/7), which reads thus:
छत्तीसगढ़ शासन
सामान्य प्रशासन विभाग
मंत्रालय
महानदी भन, अटल नगर, नया रायपुर, जि ला रायपुर
क्र. फ. 13-4/2011/आ.प्र./1-3 ना रायपुर, विदनांक 02/09/2021 प्रति",
शासन के समस्" विभाग,
अध्यक्ष, छत्तीसगढ़ रा स् मण्डल वि)लासपुर,
समस्" विभागाध्यक्ष,
समस्" संभागीय आयकु्त,
समस्" जि लाध्यक्ष,
समस्" मुख्य काय,पालन अति-कारी, जि ला पंचाय",
छत्तीसगढ़।
विषय:- अनुसतूिच" न ाति" के आरतिक्ष" पदों पर हल)ा, कोष्टी/हल्)ी कोष्टी/कोष्टी ाति" के उम्मीदारों की विनयवुिक्त के सं)ं- में।
मान. उच्च"म न्यायालय द्वारा जिसविल अपील क्र. 2294/1986 (महाराष्ट्र राज्य )नाम विमलिंलद एं अन्य) में पारिर" विनर्ण,य विदनांक 28.11.2000 का विक्रयान्यन करने हे"ु भार"
सरकार, कार्मिमक और प्रशिशक्षर्ण विभाग के काया,लय ज्ञापन क्र. 36011/2/2010 (आरक्षर्ण), विदनांक 10.8.2010 एं म.प्र. राज्य द्वारा ारी परिरपत्र क्र. एफ 7-21/2011/आ.प्र./एक, विदनांक 7.3.2011 द्वारा ारी विनदFशों के अनुक्रम में इस राज्य के सभी विभागों के परिरपत्र क्रमांक एफ 13-4/2011/1-3 विदनांक 1.10.2011 द्वारा यह विनदFश ारी विकए गए ह ैं विक हल)ा, कोष्टी/कोष्टी ाति" के ऐसे व्यविक्तयों जि न्ह ें महाराष्ट्र राज्य के द्वारा ारी सवंि-ान (अनुसतूिच" न ाति" आदेश, 1950) के आ-ार पर सक्षम प्राति-कारी द्वारा अनुसतूिच"
न ाति" का प्रमार्ण पत्र ारी विकया गया है और उनकी विनयवुिक्त अनुसूतिच" न ाति" के
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आरतिक्ष" रिरक्त पद पर हुई है "था विनयवुिक्त विदनांक 28.11.2000 के पू, की हो चुकी है, ह प्रभावि" नहीं होगी, विकन्"ु उन्हें विदनांक 28.11.2000 के )ाद आरक्षर्ण का लाभ प्राप्त नहीं होगा।
2/ मान. सPच्च न्यायालय द्वारा यूविनयन ऑफ इण्डिण्डया विरुद्ध दत्ताते्रय पुत्र नामदे मेंढेकर एं अन्य ए.आई.आर. 2008, एस.सी. 1678 में पारिर" विनर्ण,य के परिरप्रेक्ष्य में इस विभाग के उक्त परिरपत्र विदनांक 1.10.2011 को परिरपत्र क्रमांक, एफ 13-4/2011/आ.प्र./1-3 विदनांक 11.11.2016 द्वारा विनरस्" विकया गया था, जि सके विरुद्ध मान. छत्तीसगढ़ उच्च न्यायालय में प्रस्"ु" यातिचका क्र. 147/2016 एं इसी "रह की अन्य यातिचकाओं में फुल पीठ द्वारा एकरूप"ा पारिर" आदेश विदनांक 1.7.2016 "था W.A.No.531/2016 एं अन्य अपील यातिचकाओं में (यगुल पीठ) द्वारा पारिर" विनर्ण,य विदनांक 14.02.2017 में उक्त ाति"यों के कम,चारिरयों की सेाओ ं के सं)ं- में विस्"ृ" आदेश ारी विकये गये ह।ैं 3/ भार" सरकार, कार्मिमक, लोक शिशकाय" "था पेंशन मंत्रालय, नई विदल्ली के काया,लयीन ज्ञापन क्रमांक 36012/12/2013-Estt. (Res.) विदनांक 08.04.2019 को भार" सरकार, कार्मिमक, लोक शिशकाय" "था पेंशन मंत्रालय, नई विदल्ली के समसंख्यक काया,लयीन ज्ञापन विदनांक 24.07.2020 द्वारा (withdraw) ापस ले लिलया गया ह।ै अ"ः सामान्य प्रशासन विभाग द्वारा पू, में ारी समसंख्यक परिरपत्र, विदनांक 03.06.2020 को विनरस्" विकया ा"ा ह।ै
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4/ माननीय उच्च न्यायालय, छत्तीसगढ़ वि)लासपुर द्वारा W.A.No.531/2016 एं अन्य अपील यातिचकाओ ं में (यगुल पीठ) द्वारा पारिर" विनर्ण,य विदनांक 14.02.2017 के अनुपालन में ऐसे व्यविक्त ो विदनांक 28.11.2000 से पू, सेा में विनयकु्त हैं, ो ास्" में मध्यप्रदशे एं छत्तीसगढ़ के हल)ा न ाति"/समुदाय के सदस्य हैं, जि न्होंने वि)ना विकसी "थ्य को छुपाये वि)ना हल)ा कोष्टी/कोष्टी का ाति" प्रमार्ण पत्र विनयमानुसार प्राप्त विकया है, उनकी सेाओ ं को संरक्षर्ण की पात्र"ा होगी "था विदनांक 28.11.2000 के पश्चा" सामान्य शे्रर्णी का माना ाएगा
"था भविष्य में अनुसतूिच" न ाति" के आरक्षर्ण का लाभ प्राप्त नहीं होगा। 5/ ऐसे व्यविक्त ो मध्यप्रदेश के हल)ा न ाति"/समुदाय के नहीं है एं अन्य राज्यों से मध्यप्रदेश प्राजिस" हुए हैं, उन्हें मध्यप्रदेश का हल)ा कोष्टी/कोष्टी ाति" का नहीं माना ाएगा। साथ ही उनके द्वारा हल)ा कोष्टी/कोष्टी का गल" "थ्यों के आ-ार पर या विकसी "थ्य को छुपाकर/कूटरतिच"/फ b "रीके से ाति" प्रमार्ण पत्र प्राप्त विकया हो, उनकी सेाएं संरतिक्ष" नहीं होगी, और न ही कोई लाभ प्राप्त होगा।
(डॉ. कमलप्री" सिंसह)
सतिच
छत्तीसगढ़ शासन
सामान्य प्रशासन विभाग
पृष्ठ क्र. एफ 13-4/2011/आ.प्र./1-3 ना रायपुर, विदनांक 02/09/2021
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11. Undisputedly, the High-Level Caste Scrutiny Committee cancelled the Caste Certificate of Respondent No.8 vide order dated 17.05.2019. However, in WPS No.4807/2019, this Court passed the following interim order on
01.07.2019:
"Considering the overall facts and circumstances of the case, particularly taking note of the fact that the petitioner was initially appointed vide order dated 10.04.1992 and that the certificate in possession of the petitioner was issued by a competent authority long before his appointment by the respondents, prima facie a strong case for grant of interim protection at this stage has been made out.
Accordingly, there shall be a stay on the effect and operation of the order (Annexure P/6) dated 17.05.2019, until the next date of hearing."
12. Thus, by virtue of the aforesaid order, the effect and operation of the order dated 17.05.2019 passed by the High-Level Caste Scrutiny Committee was stayed. Hence, no adverse action flowing from that order should have been taken against Respondent No.8, nor should he have been deprived of any consequential service benefits.
13. Under these circumstances, this Court finds that the order dated 24.08.2023 (Annexure-R/1) passed by Respondent No.2 is not in accordance with law. Although this order has not been specifically challenged by Respondent No.8, but the petitioner cannot claim a right to the promotional post merely because promotion of Respondent No.8 was improperly recalled as respondent No.8 is not only senior than the petitioner, but effect and operation of the order dated 17.05.2019 passed by the High Level Caste
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Scrutiny Committee against respondent No.8 has also been stayed, as mentioned in preceding paragraphs. Consequently, the petitioner is not entitled to the reliefs sought for.
14. However, it is made clear that this Court has not expressed any opinion regarding the caste status or caste certificates of any of the parties.
15. Accordingly, the writ petition stands dismissed.
16. Pending application(s), if any, stand disposed of. Sd/-
(Naresh Kumar Chandravanshi)
Judge
Ajay.