Page No.# 1/15 GAHC010087492025 2026:GAU-AS:1403 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/2243/2025 SUNIL MUCHAHARY S/O-CHABIN MUCHAHARY, VILL-KHAMARDWISA, P.O- KHAMARDWISA, P.S.-SIMLA, DIST- BAKSA, PIN-781330. 2: BISHNU BASUMATARY S/O-BIBUL BASUMATARY VILL-KHAMARDWISA P.O-KHAMARDWISA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781330. 3: GUNIN BASUMATARY S/O-GWSWM BASUMATARY VILL-OXIGURI GAON P.O-KAHITAMA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781315. 4: SAMTAM NARZARY S/O- RUBIRAM NARZARY VILL-KHAMARDWISA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781330 5: TULEN KHERKATARY S/O- MAINA KHERKATARY VILL- DONGPAR P.O- BARMAJARA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781318 6: RANJIT MUCHAHARY S/O- GALAK MUCHAHARY VILL- DONGPAR Page No.# 2/15 P.O-BARMAJARA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781318 7: BINOD SWARGIARY S/O-BIHU RAM SWARGIARY VILL-LABDANGURI P.O- LABDANGURI DIST-BAKSA PIN-781315 8: RYDIL NARZARY S/O-LATE DANDHI CHARAN NARZARY VILL- HAPACHARA P.O- GOLAGAON DIST-BAKSA PIN-781327 9: GANDHI BASUMATARY S/O-BISHNU RAM BASUMATARY VILL-OXIGURI P.O-KAHITAMA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781315 10: MAICHAN SARKAR VILL-DOILLONG NO.2 P.O- BHOTAGAON DIST- CHIRANG 11: RANJAN GAYARY S/O- CHAKRADHAR GAYARY VILL-DUMBRUGURI P.O-GOLAGAON. DIST-BAKSA PIN-781327 12: MARSEL NARZARY S/O-FAGDAL NARZARY VILL-DANGARIGAON P.O- GOLAGAON DIST-BAKSA PIN-781327 13: RINKU BARMAN W/O- JAGADISH BARMAN VILL-NALBARI TOWN WARD NO.9 P.O- NALBARI DIST-NALBARI Page No.# 3/15 PIN-781335 14: BUREN BASUMATARY S/O-BANESWAR BASUMATARY VILL- NO.2 THURIBARI P.O-BETNAPARA DIT-CHIRANG PIN-783390 15: JWMWSRI BASUMATARY W/O-MAHINDRA BASUMATARY VILL-KHAMARDWISA P.O-KHAMARDWISA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330 16: BISHNU TALUKDAR S/O- PARES TALUKDAR VILL- DOMANI P.O- KHAIRABARI DIST- BARPETA PIN-781315 17: BUBULI SWARGIARY W/O-BOMAL SWARGIARY VILL-NO.1 KOKLABARI P.O- KOKLABARI DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330 18: GAOBRA MOCHAHARY S/O-BHUMIDHAR MOCHAHARY VILL- DUNGBRUGURI P.O- GOLAGAON DIST-BAKSA PIN-781327 19: REZZAK ALI S/O-MD. EDRISH ALI VILL-KAIJAMATI P.O- MAINAMATA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781315 20: SUNIRAM BASUMATARY S/O-KHANARAM BASUMATARY VILL- OXIGURI P.O- KAHITAMA Page No.# 4/15 DIST-BAKSA PIN-781315 21: SAMAR OWARY S/O-KHAMESWAR OWARY VILL-NO.2 THAISUBARI P.O- PANBARI DIST- CHIRANG PIN-783391 22: SACHIN BASUMATARY S/O-GOLO BASUMATARY VILL- SILBARI P.O- BOROBAZAR DIST-CHIRANG PIN-783393 23: SANSUMA BASUMATARY S/O- MANO BASUMATARY VILL- LABDANGURI P.O- LABDANGURI DIST-BAKSA PIN-781315 24: CHILON BASUMATARY S/O- BISHNU BASUMATARY VILL- BARGAON P.O- BARMAJARA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781318 25: BIJOY BASUMATARY S/O-PURNA BASUMATARY VILL- SANAPUR P.O-PANBARI DIST- CHIRANG PIN-783391. 26: DRUBO BASUMATARY S/O- ARBINDA BASUMATARY VILL- JANAGAON P.O- TITAGURI DIST-KOKRAJHAR PIN-783370 27: KANDARPA NATH S/O- JANNEJAY NATH Page No.# 5/15 VILL- NO.1 BARPATHAR P.O-BARPATHAR DIST- CHIRANG PIN-783391 28: RINGKHANGSAR BARO S/O- LT. BUDHBAR BARO VILL- TIMBARMUR P.O-KHAMARDWISA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330. 29: PRIYA DEVI BRAHMA D/O-HARISH CHANDRA BRAHMA VILL- SWARANGPURI P.O- TITAGURI PT.1 DIST- KOKRAJHAR PIN-783370. 30: KHANDRA BASUMATARY S/O-LT. LISHU BASUMATARY VILL- BHALMANUHAR BITHA P.O- GOLAGAON DIST-BAKSA PIN-781327. 31: JWNGMA RANI BRAHMA D/O-CHAKRASING BRAHMA VILL-SAMTHAIBARI P.O- KOKRAJHAR DIST-KOKRAJHAR PIN-783370 32: SAYAN KR SINGHA S/O-KHITIRANJAN SINGHA VILL-NO.2 BISHNUPUR P.O- BOTHAGAON DIST- CHIRANG PIN-783390. 33: LAKHA BARO S/O- BABURAM BARO VILL- NABADHIRA P.O-BARGHAGRA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781330 34: FWILAO BASUMATARY Page No.# 6/15 S/O-RUPNATH BASUMATARY VILL- SILBARI P.O-BOROBAZAR DIST- CHIRANG PIN-783390. 35: SANJAY GOYARY S/O- RAJEN GOYARY VILL- KHAMARDWISA P.O- KHAMARDWISA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781330. 36: SWAMKHAR OWARY S/O-RAMUNA OWARY VILL- THAISUBARI P.O- PANBARI DIST- CHIRANG PIN-783391 37: JAGEN BARO S/O-THALI BARO VILL-THEMBARMUR P.O- KHAMARDWISA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330. 38: BIRDAO BRAHMA S/O- KARENDRA BRAHMA VILL- DOLOGAON P.O- HALTUGAON DIST- KOKRAJHAR PIN-783391. 39: MATEN GAYARY S/O-CHITARANJAN GAYARY VILL-DHADHARA P.O- KHAMARDWISA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330 40: KINGRAJ BASUMATARY S/O-RAHEN BASUMATARY VILL-LATHIPARA P.O-BAGARGAON DIST-CHIRANG PIN-783390 Page No.# 7/15 41: FUNGSWRANG BASUMATARY S/O-CHAKEN BASUMATARY VILL- BALISILA P.O- ROWTA CHARIALI DIST- UDALGURI PIN-784508 42: JWNGSAR DAIMARY S/O-NAGESWAR DAIMARY VILL- AKHRA P.O- BETBARI DIST- BAKSA PIN-781327 43: RATUL KR BRAHMA S/O- NISTA RAM BRAHMA VILL- BANUGAON P.O-PUTHIMARI DIST- KOKRAJHAR PIN-783347 44: BIJIT BARO S/O-DHANARAM BARO VILL-SUPARIGURI (DADARA) P.O- SULIAKATA DIST- BARPETA PIN-781317. 45: SWMLA BARO S/O- HALICHARAN BARO VILL- NABADIHIRA P.O-BARGHAGRA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781330 46: NWJWR DAIMARY S/O-ATUL CHANDRA DAIMARY VILL- BANARGAON P.O-BANARGAON DIST- KOKRAJHAR PIN-783347. 47: JEMS BASUMATARY S/O- BIROLA BASUMATARY VILL- RANGAPANI P.O- KHAMARDWISA DIST- BAKAS PIN-781330. Page No.# 8/15 48: KAMAL BASUMATARY S/O-MANESWAR BASUMATARY VILL-UTTAR BURIKHAMAR P/O- SULIAKATA DIST- BARPETA PIN-781317 49: MILAN BASUMATARY S/O-MONO BASUMATAYR VILL-GARUMARA P.O-KHAMARDWISA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330 50: ALONGBAR BRAHMA S/O-SAMARSING BRAHMA VILL-NAKARGAON P.O- PUTIMARI DIST- KOKRAJHAR PIN-783347 51: PURNIMA PATHAK D/O- NIRMAL PATHAK VILL-PATILADAHA P/O-PATILADAHA DIST-BONGAIGAON PIN-783391. 52: JAGADISH BARO S/O- UMESH BARO VILL-CHAMTHAIBARI P./O- KAHITAMA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781315. 53: JITEN BRAHMA S/O-GAJEN BRAHMA VILL- BHAGPUR (NAKTIPARA) P.O- BARMA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781346. 54: PRADIP KR KARKI S/O- BHOTO KARKI VILL-NO.1 BAULAJHAR Page No.# 9/15 P.O- PANBARI DIST-CHIRANG PIN-783391. 55: BHASKARJIT BRAHMA S/O-HARESH CHANDRA BRAHMA VILL-SWRANGPURI P./O-TITAGURI PT.1 DIST- KOKRAJHAR PIN-783370. 56: TEMPO RAMCHIARY S/O-MANAGAL RAMCHIARY VILL- BHAGPUR (NAKTIPARA) P.O- BARMA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781330. 57: BIRAJ BRAHMA S/O-SHYAM CHARAN BRAHMA VILL- NABADIHIRA P.O- BARKHAGRA DIST- BAKSA PIN-783383. 58: TULARAM BRAHMA S/O-AVINASH BRAHMA VILL- SUDEMPURI P.O- KOKRAJHAR DIST-KOKRAJHAR PIN-783370. 59: SOMILA BASUMATARY D/O- TANGARAM BASUMATARY VILL-LOWER PARA P.O- PANBARI DIST-CHIRANG PIN-783391. 60: ANANDA MOCHAHARY S/O- BALEN MOCHAHARY VILL- JHARGAON P.O- GOLAGAON DIST- BAKSA PIN-781327. 61: BHADRESWAR MEDHI Page No.# 10/15 S/O-SHYAM CHARAN MEDHI VILL-CHAMTHAIBARI P.O-KAHITAMA DIST- BAKSA PIN-781315 62: MAHAN GAYARY S/O- LUDRESWAR GAYARY VILL-HATIZAN P.O- KHAMARDWISA DIST-BAKSA PIN-781330 63: RAJANI KANTA BRAHMA S/O-KHAKEN BRAHMA VILL-NO.1 KACHUBIL P.O- PANBARI DIST- CHIRNAG PIN-783391 64: NAYANMANI PATHAK S/O-RAMESWAR PATHAK VILL- ROHA P.O-CHAKCHAKA DIST- BARPETA PIN-781317. 65: DIGANTA SWARGIYARY S/O-BINDU CHARAN VILL-LABDANGURI GAON P.O-LABDANGURI DIST-BAKSA PIN-781315 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM 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 Page No.# 11/15 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 9:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER BAKSA MUSHALPUR BTC ASSAM PIN-781372 10:THE FOREST RANGE OFFICER BHUYANPARA RANGE BAKSA BTC ASSAM PIN-78338 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. A BORO, MS D MAHANTA,MR H P GUWALA,MS N NEWME Page No.# 12/15 Advocate for the Respondent : SC, FOREST, MS. R. GOGOI, (R-2,3,8), SC, FOREST,MR. A. CHALIHA, (R-4), SC, FINANCE,MR. P. NAYAK, (R-5,6,7,9,10), SC, BTC B E F O R E Hon’ble MR. JUSTICE KARDAK ETE Advocates for the petitioners : Mr. A. Boro Advocates for the respondents : Mr. D. Gogoi, SC-Forest Mr. A. Chaliha, SC-Finance Mr. NR Sarma, SC-BTC Date on which judgment is reserved : 04.02.2026 Date of pronouncement of judgment : 04.02.2026 Whether the pronouncement is of the operative part of the judgment? : NA Whether the full judgment has been pronounced? : Yes Judgment & Order (Oral) Heard Mr. A. Boro, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. D. Gogoi, learned Standing Counsel, Forest Department for the respondent nos. 1, 2 & 3; Mr. A. Chaliha, learned Standing Counsel, Finance Department for the respondent no. 4 and Mr. NR Sarma, learned Standing Counsel, BTC for the respondent nos. 5 to 10. 2. The grievance raised in this writ petition is for a direction to the respondent authorities to provide the minimum pay scale in terms of the judgment and order passed by this Court in the case of State of Assam Vs. Upen Das reported in 2020 (5) GLT 605 and the Government Notification Page No.# 13/15 dated 08.03.2019. 3. The petitioners, 65 in numbers, are the Members of an NGO, namely, Manas Maozigendri Ecotourism Society of Khamardwisa, Lwkhibazar in the district of Baksa, a registered Society registered under the provisions of the Societies Registration Act, 1860. 4. It is the case of the petitioners that they have been engaged as a Service Provider / Casual Worker for protection of Forest & Wildlife in different ranges from 2003 to 2007 under Manas Tiger Reserved Forest in the district of Baksa due to shortage of man power in the Department and the petitioners are dedicatedly rendering their services since their appointments on a meager wages. 5. It is the contention of the petitioners that the BTC Authorities has considered for providing the minimum pay scales to some of the similarly situated Service Provider / Casual Worker while the cases of the petitioners has been left out, which resulted in deprivation of the petitioner to receive the minimum pay scale. 6. Mr. Boro, learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the petitioners are entitled to get the benefit of minimum pay scale in terms of the judgment and order passed by this Court in the case of Upen Das (supra) and Government Notification dated 08.03.2019. He submits that there is no dispute as regards the engagement of the petitioners as they have been rendering their services continuously since their engagements till date with a meager wages and similarly situated persons have been granted minimum scale of pay in terms of the direction passed in the case of Upen Das (supra). He, therefore, submits that the respondents may be directed to provide the minimum scale of pay to Page No.# 14/15 the petitioners in terms of the judgment and order passed in the case of Upen Das (supra) and Government Notification dated 08.03.2019. 7. Mr. Sarma, learned Standing Counsel, BTC, submits that the petitioners were only engaged as a Service Provider on a temporary basis but not on a substantive vacancies nor any selection process was followed. He submits that since the petitioners were appointed as Service Provider without following the due process of law nor on substantive vacancies, they are not entitled to minimum scale of pay. However, he submits that in view of the direction of this Court in the case of Upen Das (supra), if the petitioners are working continuously for more than 10 years, even though not in a sanctioned post, the authorities may be directed to verify and grant the benefit of minimum scale of pay in accordance with law. 8. Having considered that there is no dispute as regards the engagement of the petitioners and their continuation in services as Service Provider / Casual Worker for protection of Forest & Wildlife in different ranges under Manas Tiger Reserved Forest in the district of Baksa and considering the judgment and order of this Court in the case of Upen Das (supra) as well as the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of The State of Punjab & Ors. Vs. Jagjit Singh & Ors. reported in (2017) 1 SCC 148, I am of the view that the petitioners appear to be entitled to be provided minimum scale of pay as they have been engaged by the authorities and allowed to continue as a Service Provider / Casual Worker for protection of Forest & Wildlife in different ranges under Manas Tiger Reserved Forest since their initial engagement in the year 2003-2007. Thus, it would be appropriate to direct the respondent authorities to verify as to whether the petitioners have been engaged and allowed to continue in the their services as Service Provider / Casual Worker and if found engaged Page No.# 15/15 and continued to serve in such capacities, the respondent authorities would consider granting the benefit of minimum scale of pay to the petitioners in terms of the law laid down in the cases of Upen Das (supra) as well as Jagjit Singh (supra). It is ordered accordingly. 9. The aforesaid exercise, as directed hereinabove, be completed within a period of 4(four) months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. 10. The writ petition accordingly stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant