Page No.# 1/16 GAHC010164812025 undefined THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/4193/2025 BIDYUT KALITA AND 63 OTHRS S/O-SRIKANTA KALITA, AGED ABOUT-39 YEARS, VILL-BARJAR, P.O- BARAMA, DIST-NALBARI, ASSAM, PIN- 781346 2: SANJAY SARMA S/O- SANAPATI SARMA R/O- VILL BARJAR P.O BARMA DIST- NALBARI ASSAM-781346 3: DADHI DAS S/O-UPEN DAS AGED ABOUT-49 YEARS VILL-BARSIMALUGURI P.O-BARSIMALUGURI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN- 781346 4: DIPALI BARO S/O-DEBEN BARO AGED ABOUT-40 YEARS VILL-SUBANKHATA P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 5: BICHITRA BRAHMA S/O-LATE TILAK BRAHMA Page No.# 2/16 AGED ABOUT-47 YEARS VILL-JARIPAR P.O-MERKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 6: MUKUTA BASUMATARY S/O-PRABIN BASUMATARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-ALAGJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN- 781346 7: GWMSRANG BARO S/O-SATIRAM BARO AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA ASSAM PIN-781372 8: SUBHASH BASUMATARY S/O-BALENDRA BASUMATRAY AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL- KHATARBARI P.O-NAGRIJULI DIST-TMULPUR BTR ASSAM PIN-781368 9: SANJIT RAMCHIARY S/O- LALLA RAMCHIARY AGED ABOUT-47 YEARS VILL-CHAPRA P.O-MADHAPUR DIST- BAKSA ASSAM PIN-781346 10: RAJU KUMAR BARO S/O-MUKUT CH. BARO AGED ABOUT- 48 YEARS VILL- SUBANKHATA Page No.# 3/16 P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 11: BIMAL BASUMATARY S/O-PANIRAM BASUMATARY AGED ABOUT- 39 YEARS VILL- HOROTOLA P.O-PATKIJULI DIST-TAMULPUR BTR ASSAM PIN-781360 12: RATUL RAMCHIARY S/O-NARAM RAMCHIARY AGED ABOUT- 39 YEARS VILL-SUBANKHATA P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 13: KSHIROD BARO S/O-HARICHARAN BARO AGED ABOUT-39 YERAS VILL-MANIPUR P.O-JOPADONG DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 14: BARNALI BARMAN D/O-FATIK BARMAN AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL-SARUKUCHIJAR P.O-MURMELA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 15: RABINDRA BASUMATARY S/O- KAMALESWAR BASUMATARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-JHARBASTI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM Page No.# 4/16 PIN-781372 16: REBEN BARO S/O-HARICHANDRA BARO AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-KHATARBARI P.O-NAGRIJULI DIST-TAMULPUR BTR ASSAM PIN-781368 17: DIPEN BASUMATARY S/O-SOMESWAR BAASUMATARY AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL-1 NO SONAPUR P.O- JOPADONG DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 18: MAHIN BASUMATARY S/O-GABHALA BASUMATARY AGED ABOUT-44 YEARS VILL-BANDUGURI UTTATKUCHI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 19: DHRUBAJYOTI BARO S/O-LATE GIRISH CH. BARO AGED ABOUT-33 YEARS VILL-NIZ JULUKI P.O-BARAM DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 20: MANASH PRATIM BARO S/O-RABEN CH. BARO AGED ABOUT-34 YEARS VILL-PUKHURIPAR P.O-SIMLATARABARI DIST-KAMRUP ASSAM PIN-781135 Page No.# 5/16 21: SANJAY MUCHAHARY S/O-SANTOSH MUCHAHARY AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL-MAITHABARI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 22: NAGESWAR BARO S/O-BALI RAM BARO AGED ABOUT-44 YEARS VILL-BENNABARI P.O-BENNABARI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781333 23: SUBHRAJYOTI BRAHMA S/O-JITEN BRAHMA AGED ABOUT-33 YEARS VILL-JARIPAR P.O-MERKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 24: DILIP BRAHMA S/O-RAMESWAR BRAHMA AGED ABOUT-37 YEARS VILL-JARIPAR P.O-MERKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 25: HITESWAR DEWRI S/O-LATE BIREN DEWRI AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-SUBANKHATA P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 26: KAUSHIK NAYAN SWARGIARY S/O-DIMBESWAR SWARGIARY Page No.# 6/16 AGED ABOUT-37 YEARS VILL-KALJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 27: NERSWAN BASSUMATARY S/O-LATE HEMANTO BASUMATARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-KHATARBARI P.O-NAGRIJULI DIST-TAMULPUR BTR ASSAM PIN-781368 28: GAGAN RABHA S/O-LATE PRAHLAD RABHA AGED ABOUT-34 YEARS VILL-KALJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-BAKSA BTR PIN- ASSAM 29: DIMBESWAR SARMA S/O-LT. DINESH SARMA AGED ABOUT-32 YEARS VILL-KHARUA P.O-KHARUA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 30: AMIT BRAHAM S/O-LATE JANAK BRAHMA AGED ABOUT-41 YEARS VILL-JARIPAR P.O-MERKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 31: PRABAL PRAN SARMA Page No.# 7/16 S/O-AMARENDRA SARMA AGED ABOUT-35 YEARS VILL-KALJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-BAKSA ASSAM PIN-781346 32: AJOY CHOUDHURY S/O-KANDARPA CHOUDHURY AGED ABOUT-45 YEARS VILL-KALJAR KATABARI P.O-KALJAR DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 33: NITISH BARO S/O-KHARGESWAR BARO AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-ROUMARI BATABARI P.O-BAGANPARA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781344 34: PRATAP DAS S/O-PUWARAM DAS AGED ABOUT-49 YEARS VILL-MAITHABARI BOGORIBARI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 35: SANESWAR BARO S/O-KALARAM BARO AGED ABOUT-50 YEARS VILL-BADULIPAR P.O-SAUKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781034 36: UTPAL DAS Page No.# 8/16 S/O-UPEN DAS AGED ABOUT-49 YEARS VILL-BARSIMALUGURI P.O-BARSIMALAGURI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781333 37: MOMI RAMCHIARY D/O-KAMALESWAR RAMCHIARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-DAKHINKUCHI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 38: MANARANJAN RAMCHIARY S/O-NARESWAR RAMCHIARY AGED ABOUT-37 YEARS VILL-KALJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 39: RAJESH BRAHMA S/O-DITI RAM BRAHMA AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL-JARIPAR P.O-MERKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 40: TAPAN TALUKDAR S/O-JAYDEV TALUKDAR AGED ABOUT-34 YEARS VILL-MURKUCHIAPARA P.O-NIZ-BANGALIPARA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781333 Page No.# 9/16 41: DIPUL BRAHMA S/O-LATE HARESWAR BRAHMA AGED ABOUT-45 YEARS VILL-JARIPAR P.O-MERKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 42: SOMESWAR MUCHAHARY S/O-NIVCHARAN MUCHAHARY AGED ABOUT-41 YEARS VILL-SERFANGURI(JHARBASTI) P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 43: BHADRESWAR BORO S/O-ARAT BORO AGED ABOUT-44 YEARS VILL-MURMELA P.O-MURMELA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-784521 44: BIKRAM SWARGIARY S/O-BIRENDRA NATH SWARGIARY AGED ABOUT-44 YEARS VILL-KALJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781346 45: MRINAL KALITA S/O-BASANTA KALITA AGED ABOUT-35 YEARS VILL-BARJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-NALBARI ASSAM PIN-781346 Page No.# 10/16 46: BIRONJOY GOYARI S/O-JOGESWAR GOYARY AGED ABOUT-41 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 47: RAJIB MUCHAHARY S/O-MILON MUCHAHARY AGED ABOUT-39 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARY DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 48: RABINDAR BORO S/O-HANGA BORO AGED ABOUT-39 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 49: RWIMALU MUCHAHARY S/O-SUREN MUCHAHARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 50: JOYANTA SWARGIARY S/O-MANIK SWARGIARY AGED ABOUT-39 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR Page No.# 11/16 ASSAM PIN-781372 51: BISHNU BORO S/O-SOMBAR BORO AGED ABOUT-44 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 52: BIJOY BARO S/O-MUKUT BARO AGED ABOUT-36 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 53: BABULAL HEMBRAM S/O-SUNDA HEMBRAM AGED ABOUT-40 YEARS VILL-VISHNUPUR P.O-KAULI DIST-TAMULPUR BTR ASSAM PIN-781360 54: LOHIT BARO S/O-RATAN BARO AGED ABOUT-43 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIA P.O-DIHIA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 55: HEMONTO KERKATARY S/O-BHOBLA KERKATARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-SIBRUBARI DIHIRA P.O-DIHIRA Page No.# 12/16 DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 56: RINDAW RAMCHIARY S/O-LATE TIKEN RAMCHIARY AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL- DIKHINKUCHI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 57: DIPOK MUCHAHARY S/O-PRAFULLA MUCHAHARY AGED ABOUT-36 YEARS VILL-SONAJULI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 58: KARNA GOYARI S/O-CHANDAN GOYARI AGED ABOUT-39 YEARS VILL-ODALGURI P.O-UTTARKUCHI DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 59: BIRCHAUM BARO S/O-ANANDI BARO AGED ABOUT-42 YEARS VILL-KHATORBARI P.O-NAGRIJULI DIST-TAMULPUR BTR ASSAM PIN-781368 60: JIBAN SWARGIARY Page No.# 13/16 S/O-BABUL SWARGIARY AGED ABOUT-45 YEARS VILL-BHALUKDONGA P.O-BHALUKDONGA DIST-NALBARI ASSAM PIN-781355 61: MANTU BARO S/O-BIREN BARO AGED ABOUT-38 YEARS VILL-BANDUGURI P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 62: RUBUL DAS S/O-PRAFULLA DAS AGED ABOUT-34 YEARS VILL-SUBANKHATA P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 63: GANESH KALITA S/O-NARESWAR KALITA AGED ABOUT-30 YEARS VILL-BIRGAON P.O-SUBANKHATA DIST-BAKSA BTR ASSAM PIN-781372 64: GOKUL RAMCHIARY S/O-DEBEN RAMCHIARY AGED ABOUT-36 YEARS VILL-BARJAR P.O-BARAMA DIST-NALBARI ASSAM PIN-78134 Page No.# 14/16 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHRS REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST DEPARTMENT, DISPUR, ASSAM, GUWAHATI- 6. 2:THE JOINT SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST DEPARTMENT DISPUR ASSAM GUWAHATI-6. 3:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST ASSAM REHABARI GUWAHATI-8. 4:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM FINANCE DEPARTMENT DISPUR GUWAHATI-6. 5:THE BODOLAND TERRITORIAL COUNCIL (BTC) REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370 6:THE CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST BTC KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370 7:ADDL PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST CUM COUNCIL HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT FOREST BTC KOKRAJHAR PIN-783370 8:THE FIELD DIRECTOR MANAS TIGER RESERVE FOREST BARPETA ROAD ASSAM PIN-781315 Page No.# 15/16 9:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER BAKSA MUSHALPUR BTC ASSAM PIN-781372 10:THE FOREST RANGE OFFICER SALBARI RANGE BAKSA BTC ASSAM PIN-78338 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. A BORO, MR H P GUWALA,MS N NEWME Advocate for the Respondent : SC, FOREST, SC, FINANCE,SC. BTC BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SOUMITRA SAIKIA ORDER 30.07.2025 Heard Mr. A Boro, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. S Bora, learned counsel for the respondents No. 5 to 10; Ms. H Baruah, learned counsel for the respondent No. 4 and Ms. M. Kalita, learned Standing Counsel, Forest. 2. The case of the petitioners are that due to shortages of manpower between the period 2006-2007, they have been engaged as casual workers for protection of forest and wildlife in Manas National Park under Baksa Divisional Forest Officer, BTC. Even since their engagement, they have been working as such till date but have been paid only a meager sum of fixed wages. It is the case of the petitioners that they are entitled to get the benefit of minimum pay scale in terms of the decision rendered by a Division Bench of this Court in State of Assam Vs Shri Upen Das reported in 2020 (5) GLT 605. 3. The learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the respondent Page No.# 16/16 Authorities have duly admitted that the petitioners have been rendering their services in the Forest Department under the Baksa, BTC since 2006-07. Therefore, the learned counsel for the petitioners submit that since there is no dispute, a direction may be issued to the respondent authorities to pay the petitioner a minimum scale of pay in terms of Upen Das (supra). 4. Mr. S. Bora, learned Standing Counsel, BTC on the other hand submits that the petitioners are only engaged on casual basis and since it is not a substantive appointment, there is no question of granting them the pay scale as claimed by them. It may, however, be seen that the direction of a Division Bench this Court in Upen Das (supra) is that all such Muster Roll Workers, Worked Charge Workers and similarly placed employees working since the last more than 10 years and not in a sanctioned post should be granted the minimum of pay scale w.e.f. 01.08.2017. Admittedly, the petitioners in the present case are not working against a sanctioned post but are engaged as casual worker since 2006-07 which has not been disputed by the respondents. 5. Considering the same, the respondent authorities are directed to grant the petitioners the benefit of minimum pay scale in terms of Upen Das (supra). Before granting them such benefit, the respondents will be at liberty to make necessary verification as may be required. The petitioners be afforded the minimum pay scale as directed near above as expeditiously as possible and preferably within a period of 3 (three) months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. 6. Writ petition accordingly stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant