2026:HHC:11423 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH AT SHIMLA CWP No.18365 of 2025 Decided on: 09.04.2026. ________________________________________________________ Ranjeet Singh ...Petitioner Versus State of H.P. & Another ...Respondents Coram Hon’ble Mr. Justice Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ranjan Sharma, Judge 1Whether approved for reporting?. For the petitioner: Mr. Parav Sharma, Mr. Shekhar Badola and Mr. Avnish Mandhotra, Advocates. For the respondents: Mr. Anup Rattan, Advocate General with Mr. Raj Negi, Deputy Advocate General. Vivek Singh Thakur, Judge [Oral] Petitioner has approached this Court by filing present petition seeking multiple reliefs. However, under instructions, learned counsel for the petitioner presses this petition only with respect to relief Nos.3, 5 & 6, which read as under:- (iii). That the respondents may very kindly further be directed to grant the service pension to the petitioner w.e.f. due date i.e. 30.04.2024 with all consequential benefits and arrear accrued thereunder be order to be paid with interest @ 12% in the 1 Whether reporters of Local Papers may be allowed to see the judgment? 2026:HHC:11423 - 2 - interest of justice. (v). That the respondents may very kindly be directed to release the pay arrear w.e.f. 01.01.2016 enhanced gratuity, enhanced leave encashment on account of revision of pay scale with interest @ 12% per annum, in the interest of justice. (vi). That a writ in the nature of mandamus may kindly be issued directing the respondents department to release all the due and admissible service benefit in favour of the petitioner w.e.f. due date, in the interest of justice.” 2. Though, reply on behalf of respondents as well as rejoinder thereto by the petitioner have been filed in present petition. However, today, learned Deputy Advocate General has placed on record instructions dated 08.04.2026 received from Directorate of Technical Education, Vocational & Industrial Training, Himachal Pradesh, Sundernagar, whereby it has been informed as under:- “In this connection, the latest instructions in the matter may please be read as under:- 1. That the service detail of the petitioner are as follow; - i) That the petitioner was appointed on contract basis, session-to-session, through a walk-in interview conducted at the office of Director, Technical Education Vocational and Industrial Training Himachal Pradesh, 2026:HHC:11423 - 3 - Sundernagar vide office order dated 10.10.2007, Annexure P-2. ii) That the services of the petitioner after completion of six years Contractual services was regularized vide office order dated 15.08.2014 (Annexure P-3) as per the department of Personnel, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh letter No. PER(AP)-C-B(2(-3/2012 dated 28.06.2014. iii). That after attaining the age of superannuation i.e. 58 years the petitioner was retired from govt. services on 30.07.2024. iv) That the petitioner served on a contract basis from 12.10.2007 to 15.08.2014 (6 years 10 Months 3 days) and on regular basis w.e.f. 16.08.2014 to 30.04.2024 (9 years 8 Months 15 days). 2. That the Govt. vide letter No. Fin(Pen)E(1)- 1/2020 dated 16.02.2026 issued clarification regarding counting of contractual service for pensionary benefits in terms of Government instructions in OM No. Fin(Pen)E(1)-1/2020 dated 10.06.2024 issued in Sheela Devi's case, which was subsequently withdrawn w.e.f. 16.02.2026 vide Govt. letter No. Fin(Pen)E(1)-1/2020 w.e.f. dated 21.02.2026. (Copies of letter dated 10.06.2024, 16.02.2026 & 21.02.2026 are enclosed herewith as Annexure 1, colly).” 3. It is apt to record that earlier in terms of clarifications dated 16.02.2026 and 21.02.2026 issued by Government of Himachal Pradesh, claim of the petitioner for counting his contract service for qualifying service for granting pension was being opposed and rejected. However, in view of withdrawal of clarification dated 16.02.2026, reliefs being 2026:HHC:11423 - 4 - pressed in this petition required to be granted in terms of the aforesaid instructions placed on record. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that in view of redressal of his grievance with respect to reliefs being pressed in present petition, nothing survives for adjudication in the matter and the petition, therefore, deserves to be disposed of, but with a time-bound direction to the respondents to extend the benefits as being pressed by the petitioner and as agreed/admissible by the respondents. 5. Now considering the aforesaid facts and circumstances, the present petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to ensure extension of benefits in aforesaid terms to the petitioner in all respects, including payment of arrears of pension, if any, on or before 30.06.2026. All pending miscellaneous applications, if any, also stand disposed of accordingly. (Vivek Singh Thakur) Judge (Ranjan Sharma) Judge March 31, 2026 [Shivender]