1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA LPA No. 181 of 2025 Decided on : 17.04.2026 Uploaded on : 24.04.2026 State of Himachal Pradesh and others …… Appellants Versus Gainda Swaroop …… Respondent Coram: The Hon’ble Mr. Justice G.S. Sandhawalia, Chief Justice The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Bipin Chander Negi, Judge Whether approved for reporting?1 {{ For the Appellants : Mr. Arsh Rattan, Deputy Advocate General. Bipin Chander Negi, Judge The question which arises for consideration in the appeal at hand pertains to the regularization of the respondent initially appointed as Beldar/Peon (Class-IV employee) on a daily wage basis in the Integrated Water Shed Development Project Kandi (Hills). Admittedly, the respondent worked in the Integrated Water Shed Development Project Kandi (Hills) from 17.03.2003 to September, 2005. Thereafter, respondent worked in the H.P. Mid Himalayan Watershed Development Project from 01.10.2005 to 31.03.2017. Subsequent thereto, the respondent is working as workman in Integrated Development Project (IDP) from 01.04.2017 till date. In the aforesaid backdrop, the appellants had contended that the respondent 1 Whether reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2 therein was not an employee of the Forest department but was employee of the Himachal Pradesh Natural Resource Management Society and that the respondent throughout his career has been working in Externally Aided Projects. 2. In exactly similar facts and attending circumstances, the issue pertaining to regularization of a similarly situate employee initially in the HP Mid Himalayan Watershed Development Project from 01.10.2007 till 31.03.2017 and thereafter working in the Integrated Development Project for Source Sustainability and Climate Resilient Rain-fed Agriculture (IDP) till date came up for consideration in LPA No. 206 of 2026 titled State of H.P. vs. Chander Sain, decided on 09.04.2026. Therein the appeal preferred by the State was dismissed and the judgment passed by the learned Single Judge granting relief of regularization was upheld. 3. For the reasons stated in the aforesaid judgment (Chander Sain) which shall be read mutatis mutandis in the instant case, present appeal is dismissed, so also the pending applications(s), if any. ( G.S. Sandhawalia ) ( Bipin Chander Negi ) Chief Justice Judge April 22, 2026 (vs/ks)