Page No.# 1/10 GAHC010099022024 2025:GAU-AS:4127 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/2727/2024 ATUL HAZARIKA AND 23 ORS S/O- LATE NARAYAN HAZARIKA, R/O- VILLAGE- DIFFLO PATHAR, P.O.- BORJURI, P.S.- BOKAKHAT, DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT, ASSAM, PIN- 785612. 2: TEK BAHADUR NEWAR S/O LATE HARI BAHADUR R/O- VILLAGE- CHITALMARI P.O.- GOMIRIPAL P.S.- JAMUGURI HAT DISTRICT- SONITPUR ASSAM PIN- 784180. 3: NILOK CHARO S/O- MOTIA CHARO R/O- VILLAGE NO. 2 SILDUBI P.O.- KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK P.S.- BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM PIN- 785609. Page No.# 2/10 4: AJIT HAZARIKA S/O- DULAL HAZARIKA R/O- VILLAGE- DIFFLO PATHAR P.O.- BORJURI P.S.- BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM PIN- 785612. 5: NIPEN KONWAR @ SUNIL KONWAR S/O ASHINI KONWAR R/O VILLAGE- PHULAGURI SANG P.O.- AMGURI P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782136. 6: BHARAT KARDONG S/O- LATE UMAR KARDONG R/O- VILLAGE NO. 2 SILDUBI P.O.- KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK P.S.- BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM PIN- 785609. 7: ASHOK CHETRY S/O- SANTI RAM CHETRY R/O- VILLAGE- NAGSANKAR BAHUAKURI P.O.- NAGSANKAR Page No.# 3/10 P.S.- SOTIA DISTRICT- BISWANATH ASSAM PIN-784189. 8: HEMORAM RONGFER S/O- LATE THENGKUR SING RONYAHAR R/O- VILLAGE- FULBARI SANG P.O.- AMGURI P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM. PIN- 782136. 9: KHEMA BORAH S/O- BHABEN CH. BORAH R/O- VILLAGE- DWAL MADHAB P.O. AND P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782163. 10: JAGADISH SHARMA S/O- ANANTA SHARMA R/O- VILLAGE AND P.O.- GANGMOUTHAN P.S.- BEHALI DISTRICT- BISWANATH ASSAM PIN- 784167. 11: KUMUD DAS S/O- BHANJA DAS Page No.# 4/10 R/O- VILLAGE AND P.O.- BISWANATHGHAT P.S.- BISWANATH DISTRICT- BISWANATH ASSAM PIN- 784177. 12: BIJU DOLEY S/O- GALONG DOLEY R/O- VILLAGE- KAMERI GAON P.O.- BONKUWAL DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM. 13: KHAGEN DOLEY S/O- LATE DURGESWAR DOLEY R/O- VILLAGE- KATHONI P.O.- GEZERA P.S.- JENGRAIMUKH DISTRICT- MAJULI ASSAM. 14: PARAN DAS S/O PRAN KUMAR DAS R/O- VILLAGE- HATIMURAH P.O. AND P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782136. 15: JUBARAJ KUTUM S/O- DEKASON KUTUM R/O- VILLAGE NO. 2 SILDUBI MISSING GAON P.O.- KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK Page No.# 5/10 P.S.- BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM. 16: SANJIB CHOUDHURY S/O- CHAKRADHAR CHOUDHURY VILLAGE- HALDI BARI P.O.- KAZIRANGA P.S.- BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM. 17: BHABANANDA DAS S/O- LATE LASHMI DAS R/O- VILLAGE- PURANI GAON P.O.- BISWANATH GHAT P.S.- BISWANATH CHARIALI DISTRICT- BISWANATH ASSAM PIN- 784177. 18: BHABESH KARDONG @ BHOBESH KARDONG S/O- LATE TILOK KARDONG R/O- VILLAGE NO. 2 SILDUBI MISSING GAON P.O.- KAZIRANGA P.S- BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM. 19: KISAN GHAR S/O LATE DUKHU GHAR R/O- VILLAGE- RANGALU P.O. AND P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA Page No.# 6/10 DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782136. 20: PROBIN TERON S/O- JOY SING TERON R/O- VILLAGE- NATUNDANGA P.O. AND P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782136. 21: MADAN SAHANI S/O- LATE JAKAR SAHANI R/O- VILLAGE- DEWSUR SHANG P.O.- BURAPAHAR P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782136. 22: AMAR SINGH TERON S/O RONGBONG TERON R/O- VILLAGE- NATUNDANGA P.O. AND P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON ASSAM PIN- 782136. 23: RINKU TALUKDAR S/O- LATE AJIT TALUKDAR R/O- VILLAGE- NAGSANKAR P.O. AND P.S.- JAKHALABANDHA DISTRICT- NAGAON Page No.# 7/10 ASSAM PIN- 782136. 24: PABITRA DAS S/O- KONWAR DAS R/O- VILLAGE AND P.O.- BISWANATH GHAT P.S.- BISWANATH CHARIALI DISTRICT- BISWANATH ASSAM PIN- 784177 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 5 ORS REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOREST DEPARTMENT, GOVT. OF ASSAM, DISPUR, GUWAHATI-6. 2:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM FINANCE DEPARTMENT DISPUR GUWAHATI-6. 3:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST AND HEAD OF FOREST FORCE ASSAM PANJABARI GUWAHATI-37. 4:THE ADDITIONAL PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST (WILDLIFE) AND CHIEF WILDLIFE WARDEN ASSAM PANJABARI GUWAHATI-37. 5:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST RANGE OFFICER EASTERN ASSAM WILDLIFE DIVISON BOKAKHAT DISTRICT- GOLAGHAT ASSAM PIN- 785612. Page No.# 8/10 6:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER BISWANATH WILDLIFE DIVISION CUM DEPUTY DIRECTOR KAZIRANGA TIGER RESERVE BISWANATH CHARIALI PIN- 784176 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR F U BARBHUIYA, MS S DAS Advocate for the Respondent : SC, FOREST, SC, FINANCE BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE NELSON SAILO ORDER 04.04.2025 Heard Mr. F.U. Barbhuiya, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr. I. Borthakur, learned Standing Counsel, Forest Department for the respondents. Having regard to the nature of the case projected by the petitioners, the writ petition is taken up for disposal at this stage with the consent of the learned counsels for the parties. [2.] It is the case of the petitioners that they are working as Casual Workers under the Forest Department in Kaziranga National Park for the last more than ten (10) years on a fixed pay. Although the petitioners seek for regularization of their service but in view of the decision rendered by a Division Bench of this Court in State of Assam Vs. Upen Das reported in 2017 (4) GLR 493, the petitioners would now only be entitled to the minimum scale of pay. The same having not been given Page No.# 9/10 to them, they are before this Court. The learned counsel has drawn the attention of this Court to the communication made by the Divisional Forest Officer, Biswanath Wildlife Division-cum-Deputy Director, Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, Biswanath Chariali on 22.07.2023 to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests submitted Casual Workers data in the prescribed format for information and necessary action. Similarly, another communication was made by the Divisional Forest Officer, Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Bokakhat to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests on 08.08.2023. [3.] The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that since the required information has already been furnished to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, the respondent authorities may be directed to consider the case of the petitioners for granting them the benefit of the minimum scale of pay in terms of Upen Das (supra). The learned counsel also submits that in a case of similar nature i.e., WP(C) No. 1123/2024 (Durlove Gohain & 20 Ors. Vs. State of Assam & 5 Ors.), this Court had disposed of the said case vide Order dated 02.09.2024 directing the respondent authorities to consider the case of the petitioners therein within a time frame in terms of the case of Upen Das (supra). He therefore submits that a similar direction may be passed in the instant case as well. [4.] In view of above, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents more particularly respondent Nos. 3 & 4 to consider the case of the Page No.# 10/10 petitioners in terms of Upen Das (supra) by verifying their service particulars and all other details as may be required and upon such verification, if it is found that the petitioners are entitled to minimum scale of pay, the same shall be accorded without further delay. The entire exercise shall be carried out as expeditiously as possible and at any rate, within the outer limit of three (3) months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this Order. The petitioners along with a certified copy of this Order shall submit a copy of the writ petition to the respondent Nos. 3 & 4. [6.] With the above observation and direction, the writ petition stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant