HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT ALLAHABAD WRIT - A No. - 14288 of 2025 Chief Justice's Court HON'BLE ARUN BHANSALI, CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE KSHITIJ SHAILENDRA, J. 1. This petition is directed against order dated 25.07.2025 passed by Central Administrative Tribunal, Allahabad Bench, Allahabad ('Tribunal'), whereby the Original Application ('OA'), filed by the petitioners, has been dismissed on delay as well as on merits. 2. The OA was filed in 2025 seeking to question order dated 26.08.2014 passed by the Chairman, Railway Recruitment Cell, whereby petitioners' candidature was cancelled and they were debarred from all RRC/RRB Examination for appointment in Railways for lifetime. 3. In the application seeking condonation of delay in filing the OA, the plea raised was that a similarly situated petitioner had filed OA, which was rejected on 01.05.2018, against which, writ petition was filed, which was allowed on 16.05.2023 and Special Leave Petition arising from the said judgment was dismissed on 09.12.2024 and therefore, as the petitioners are similarly situated to the said candidate, they were entitled to the same relief and the delay in filing the OA deserves to be condoned. 4. The Tribunal, after referring to judgment of Hon'ble Supreme Court in Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply & Sewerage Board and Ors. Vs. T.T. Murali Babu : (2014) 4 SCC 108, came to the conclusion that merely because similarly placed candidates have succeeded in their efforts, the petitioners cannot claim the benefit of judgment rendered in the case of similarly situated persons. The petitioners are fence-sitters and laches and delays and/or acquiescence would be a valid ground to dismiss Versus Counsel for Petitioner(s) : Dibyanshu Kushwaha, R.C. Maurya Counsel for Respondent(s) : A.S.G.I., Piyush Tripathi Pradeep Kumar and another .....Petitioner(s) Union of India and 2 others .....Respondent(s) the same and consequently, dismissed the OA having been filed after 11 years of cause of action arising to the petitioners. 5. Counsel for the petitioners attempted to make submissions that the Tribunal was not justified in rejecting the OA inasmuch as similarly placed candidates were granted the relief, however, he failed to point out any defect in the determination made by the Tribunal regarding petitioners' failure to account for the delay in approaching the Tribunal, after 11 years of the cause of action having arisen. 6. Merely because similarly placed candidates, who were diligent in approaching the Tribunal and High Court in time, cannot be a reason for the petitioners to seek similar benefit without having contested the order impugned, at the relevant time by promptly approaching the Courts. 7. In view of the above fact situation, we do not find any reason to interfere with the order impugned. 8. There is no substance in the writ petition, the same is, therefore, dismissed. September 22, 2025 Mukesh Pal WRIA No. 14288 of 2025 2 (Kshitij Shailendra,J.) (Arun Bhansali,CJ.) Digitally signed by :- MUKESH PAL High Court of Judicature at Allahabad