Page No.# 1/19 GAHC010222922024 2026:GAU-AS:3885-DB THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WA/61/2026 JAKIR HOSSAIN AND 4 ORS S/O SAMSUL HOQUE, VILL.- KISMATHASDAHA PART-III, P.O.- KISMATHASDAHA, P.S. AND DIST- DHUBRI, ASSAM, PIN-783334 2: BALBAHADUR THAPA R/O DHUBRI WARD NO. 10 P.O. AND DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM. PIN-783301 3: PARTHADEEP CHOUDHURY S/O LATE NIKHIL NARAYAN CHOUDHURY R/O BIDYAPARA P.O. BIDYAPARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM. PIN-783324 4: MOHBUB ALOM S/O EKRAMUL HOQUE VILL. MADHUSOULMARI PART-II P.O. MADHUSOULMARI P.S. GAURIPUR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 5: ANIRBAN KARMAKAR R/O GAURIPUR WARD NO.1 (MISTRIPARA) P.O. AND P.S. GAURIPUR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-78333 VERSUS Page No.# 2/19 THE STATE OF ASSAM AND 69 ORS REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF ASSAM, DEPARTMENT OF POWER (ELECTRICITY), DISPUR, GUWAHATI-6 2:THE ASSAM STATE ELECTRICITY BOARD REPRESENTED BY ITS CHAIRMAN BIJULEE BHAWAN PALTANBAZAR GUWAHATI-01 ASSAM 3:THE CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER (HR) ASSAM POWER DISTRIBUTION CO. LTD. BIJULEE BHAWAN PALTANBAZAR GUWAHATI-1 DIST- KAMRUP (M) ASSAM 4:THE GENERAL MANAGER GUWAHATI ZONE APDCL(LAZ) SIXMILE GUWAHATI-22 DIST- KAMRUP (M) ASSAM 5:THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER KOKRAJHAR ELECTRICAL CIRCLE APDCL KOKRAJHAR P.O. P.S. AND DIST- KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370 6:THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER BONGAIGAON ELECTRICAL CIRCLE APDCL BONGAIGAON P.O.- BONGAIGAON DIST- BONGAIGAON ASSAM PIN-783380 7:THE DIRECTOR TRAINING Page No.# 3/19 ASSAM POWER DISTRIBUTION CO. LTD. NARENGI GUWAHATI-781026 DIST- KAMRUP (M) ASSAM 8:MRINAL CHANDRA ROY S/O ROMESH CH. ROY VILL. DEBOTTAR HASDAHA PT-I P.O. DEBOTTAR HASDAHA P.S.GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334. 9:TUKAN CH. SHIL @ TUKAN KR. SHILL S/O LT. SHAMPADA SHILL @ SHYAMAPADA SHILL VILL AND P.O.- TULSIBIL DIST- KOKRJAHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 10:MAHESH CH. ROY S/O KANAK CHANDRA ROY VILL- MAYANAGURI P.O.- FAKIRAGRAM DIST- KOKRAJAHR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783345 11:SARAT CH. ROY S/O SRI SASHIMOHAN ROY VILL. KEDAR PART-III P.O. DIMAKURI DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334. 12:SANJIT DEBNATH S/O NARESWAR DEBNATH VILL AND P.O. KHALILPUR Page No.# 4/19 DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783324. 13:HOREN CH. NATH @ HORENDRA CH. NATH S/O LATE BHUBAN CH. NATH VILL NOONMATI P.O. HATIPUTA P.S.CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783348. 14:BIPIN ROY S/O LATE KAMALA KANTA ROY VILL. DEOBHANGI P.O. RUPSHI DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 15:PABITRA KR. ROY S/O BAISHAK CH. ROY VILL AND P.O. DEBOTTAR HASDAHA P.S.GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 16:LAKHI KANTA ROY S/O BEPARI ROY VILL. GAIKHOWA GANGADHAR(GANDHIGRAM PART-II) P.O. AND P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN- 783334 17:DHIREN ROY S/O LATE SASHI MOHAN ROYVILL. KISMIT HASDAHA PART-II P.O. KISMAT HASDAHA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM Page No.# 5/19 PIN-783334 18:DIPJYOTI NATH S/O DIGAMBAR NATH VILL. NATHPARA P.O.BOHOLPUR P.S. CHAPAR DIST.DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783371 19:BISNU CH. NATH S/O ROBINDRA CH. NATH VILL. BIDYAPARA PART-II P.O. BIDYAPARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 20:JAYANTA NATH S/O SONATON NATH VILL AND P.O. BOHOLPUR P.S. CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN- 783371 21:BHUPENDRA NATH ROY S/O KHUDIRAM ROY VILL- MADHUSOULMARI PART-I P.O.- KHUDIMARI DIST- DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 22:RAJU ROY S/O SUKARU ROY VILL DARCHOWKA P.O. SHILAIRPAR P.S.GAURIPUR Page No.# 6/19 DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN- 783331 23:NANDA KANTA DEBNATH S/O SRI NRIPEN DEBNATH VILL AND P.S.- SALAKATI DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 24:SANDIP KARMAKAR S/O DULAL KARMAKAR VILL- NORTH BANK KOLONI WARD NO. 3 P.O.- KOKRAJAHR DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 25:MONESWAR DAS S/O LT. CHIKATU DAS VILL- DHOPERTAL P.O. AND P.S.- FAKIRAGRAM DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783345 26:SANKAR CH. DAS S/O SRI HARI NATH DAS VILL. WARD NO. 3 BOROGRAM(BILASIPARA) P.O. AND P.S. BILASIPARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN- 783348 27:SONARAM TERON S/O LONKI TERON VILL- AMBARI P.O.- DEBITOLA (AMBARI) P.S.- KAZIGAON DIST- KOKRAJHAR Page No.# 7/19 ASSAM PIN-783339 28:KWRWM BASUMATARI S/OSRI BIRENDRA BASUMATARI VILL- DAWAGURI NO. 1 P.O.- GOLADONGI P.S.- GOSSAIGAON DIST- KOKRAJAHR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783361 29:BIJIT BOSUMATARY S/O CHIBENDRA BOSUMATARY VILL- BANGLAPARA (BANGALPARA) P.O.- DOLOGAON DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 30:JIBEN BRAHMA S/O LATE RATESH CH. BRAHMA @ RAKESH BRAHMA VILL. HATGIMATHA WARD NO. 8 P.O. AND DIST. KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 31:DHAJEN KR. BOSUMATARI S/O BIDYUT BOKASH BOSUMATARI VILL. BELGURI P.O. RAINADABRI DIST. KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 32:GADAO BRAHMA S/O SRI TILESWAR BRAHMA @ TELESWAR BRAHMA VILL- PHUKANGAON P.O.- DALOGAON P.S.- KOKRAJHAR DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM Page No.# 8/19 PIN-783370 33:DILIP BARMAN S/O LATE KAMALA KANTA BARMAN VILL. NALDUBA P.O. BIDYAPUR DIST. BONGAIGAON ASSAM PIN-783372 34:SUPRIYA BASUMATARY S/O BIPLAB BASUMATARY VILL- KOKILINGBARI P.O.- BINYAKHATA P.S.- GOSSAIGAON DIST- KOKRJAHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783338 35:GOPAL SINGHA S/O LATE SOROBINDU SINGHA VILL. BHAKATGAON P.O. AND P.S. CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783571 36:JIBDHAN NATH S/O LATE NEPAL CH. NATH VILL. NATHPARA (BAHALPUR) P.O. BAHALPUR P.S. CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783571 37:UKIL ROY S/O BHOGARI ROY VILL KHERAJGAONBHANGI P.O. RUPSHI P.S. GAURIPUR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 Page No.# 9/19 38:ARJUN DAS S/O ANIL CH. DAS VILL. NORTH PAIPUR PT- I (NEAR BAGMARI LP SCHOOL) P.O. AND P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 39:RAJU DEY S/O NIKHIL CH. DEY @ NIKIL CH. DEY CHAPOR WARD NO. 3 P.O. AND P.S.- CHAPOR DIST- DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783571 40:SATYAJIT THAKURIA S/O DHARMESWAR THAKURIA VILL CHAIBARI SIV MANDIR P.O. CHOIBARI P.S. CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783376 41:KAMALESH CH. ROY S/O KAMINI KR. ROY VILL AND P.O. MOTERJHAR P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 42:DIBOSH ROY S/O LATE KHOKA ROY VILL KHUDIMARI PT- II P.O.KHUDIMAR P.S. GAURIPUR Page No.# 10/19 DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 43:MAGRI LOHAR S/O SATRUGHANA LOHAR VILL FALIMARI P.O.AND P.S. CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783571 44:DIPEN CH. ROY S/O ROBINDRA NATH ROY VILL. UTTARBAND P.O.DEBOTTAR HASDOHA P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 45:KAMLESHWAR BOSUMATARI S/OLATE DEOBAR BASUMATARI VILL- DIABARI P.O.- KOKRAJHAR DIST- KOKRAJHAR DIST- KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370 46:BISNUPADA ROY S/O LALIT ROY VILL BISANDOI PART- II P.O.BARUNDANGA P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 Page No.# 11/19 47:GOPINATH DAS S/OLATE CHANMOHAN DAS VILL- BARUAPARA NO. 1 P.O.- BHAWRAGURI PIN-783336 DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM 48:BINOD MIRDHA S/O LATE DEBEN MIRDHA VILL- DHAULIGURI (JOYMA) P.O. AND P.S.- GOSSAIGAON DIST- KOKRJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783360 49:SAMBHU CH. NATH S/O RAMKAMAL CH. NATH VILL BIDYAPARA PT- II (NATHPARA) P.O.KHALILPUR P.S. GAURIPUR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783324 50:JOYNAL HOQUE S/O BONDAY ALI SHEIKH VILL ADABARI PT- II P.O.CHAGALCHARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783324 51:TAPAN GAYARY S/O LATE SAMBARU GAYARY VILL- BIYABARI P.O.- KOKRAJHAR DIST- KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370 52:NUR HUSSAIN Page No.# 12/19 S/O HANIF ALI VILL ANAND NAGAR WARD NO. 3 P.O.BILASIPARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783348 53:ANISUR ISLAM S/O AJIMUDDIN AHMED VILL GAURIPUR WARD NO. 4 P.O. GAURIPUR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 54:BHANULAL DAS S/O LATE MOHAN LAL DAS VILL KRISHNA NAGAR P.O.BILASIPARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783348 55:SOMIR KR. DAS S/O HORINATH DAS VILL BOROGRAM DIMATALA WARD NO. 3 P.O.BILASIPARA DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783348 56:PURNABASHI PAUL S/O GONESH CH. PAUL VILL BAHAKATI P.O.PAGLAHAT DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 Page No.# 13/19 57:SAHABUDDIN SHEIKH S/O KABUL SHEIKH VILL KHUDIMARI PT- II P.O.KHUDIMAR P.S. GAURIPUR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 58:MONINDRA NATH ROY S/O NONKISHORE ROY VILL BATHUATALI P.O.BALAJAN P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783331 59:NIRMAL CH. ROY S/O KAMINI KUMAR ROY@ KAMINI KT. ROY VILL AND P.O.MOTERJHAR P.S. GOLOKGANJ DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783334 60:AJOY KR. BRAHMA S/O MUNINDRA NATH BRAHMA WARD NO. 10 KOKRAJHAR P.O.- KOKRAJAHR DIST- KOKRAJAHR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 61:TARAK CH. SARKAR S/O LATE JOGAT CH. SARKAR VILL JHAPUSABARI PARTT- III P.O.SOUTH JHAPUSABARI Page No.# 14/19 P.S. AGOMONI DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783335 62:SANJOY KR. ROY S/O PRANESHWAR ROY VILL BOWMARI P.O.AND P.S. CHAPOR DIST. DHUBRI ASSAM PIN-783371 63:RINASH BOSUMATARY S/O GAJEN BOSUMATARY VILL- KOCHUGAON P.O.- GOSSAIGAON DIST- KOKRJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783360 64:PUSPA BASUMATARY S/O HARESWAR BOSUMATARY VILL- SUTARPARA P.O.- HALTUGAON P.S.- KOKRAJAHR DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 65:GOBIDA CH. BARMAN S/O BALENDRA CH. BARMAN VILL- MAHENDRAPUR P.O.- BHAWRAGURI P.S.- GOSAIGAON DIST- KOKRJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783336 66:DEBANANDA BOSUMATARY Page No.# 15/19 S/O AJIT BOSUMATARY VILL- HARIGAON P.O.- KALIPUKHURI DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783369 67:SANAN BRAHMA S/O KIRAN BRAHMA WARD NO. 10 KOKRAJHAR DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 68:HORENDRA NARZARY S/O LATE AKENDRA NARZARY VILL- UNKNOWN P.O.- MAGURMARI DIST- KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM PIN-783370 69:SANJIT NATH S/O LATE LOLIT MOHAN NATH P.O.AND P.S. KOKRAJHAR PIN-783331 DIST. KOKRAJHAR BTAD ASSAM 70:LAKSMAN BOSUMATARY S/O MONGAL SINGH BOSUMATARY VILL AND P.O.- BASHBARI P.S.- KAZIGAON DIST- KOKRAJAHR BTAD ASSAM PIN-78337 Page No.# 16/19 For the appellants : Mr. M. Hossain, Advocate For the respondents : Mr. S.P. Sharma, S.C., A.P.D.C.L. – B E F O R E – HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. ASHUTOSH KUMAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN DEV CHOUDHURY 18-03-2026 (Ashutosh Kumar, C.J.) We have heard Mr. M. Hossain, learned counsel for the appellants and Mr. S.P. Sharma, learned Standing Counsel, APDCL for the respondent Nos.1 to 7. 2. The Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (hereinafter to be referred as “APDCL”) had issued a public advertisement sometimes in the month of April, 2013 inviting applications for 1064 posts of Sahayak. The advertisement clearly divided the posts into two separate categories, namely, Category-A, which was meant for direct recruitment for ITI pass- outs like the appellants and Category-B for experience-holders temporary workers who had worked at least three years in any power utility. The appellants herein being the candidates for Category-A posts had applied against the advertisement, appeared for physical fitness test and also participated in the interview. A re-examination was held after the first round of examination had been cancelled, in which also the appellants had participated and, according to their estimation, they had performed well. However, their names were not included in the select list published on 21.02.2014. To their dismay, surprise and chagrin, the appellants discovered that many of the candidates for Category-B post, Page No.# 17/19 who have been impleaded as respondent Nos.8 to 70 in this appeal, had been selected. The information gained through RTI mechanism made the appellants understand that the respondents claimed “experience” on the basis of the certificates which were not issued by the competent officers, namely, Assistant General Manager of the Power Utility, which was the specification in the advertisement. Some of the certificates relied upon by the respondents were only experience certificates for nine months and some of the certificates were of the persons who had not even come of the age of appearing in the public examination. There were many, according to the RTI information to the appellants, who had not even passed standard VIII, the minimum qualification required for Category-B posts. Some of the documents furnished by the respondent Nos.8 to 70 were either issued or attested only after the last date of submission of application which was 30th April, 2013. 3. The challenge of the appellants to those appointments failed. 4. The contention of the appellants is that the irregularities pointed out made the selection of the afore-noted respondents absolutely illegal, arbitrary and violative of the provisions of the Constitution of India. 5. These contentions were sought to be negated by the APDCL authorities on the ground that there were two categories of applicants with different streams and the appellants being the candidates for Category-A posts, did not have any locus to challenge the selection for Category-B posts. 6. Further, on merits, it was argued before the learned Single Judge as also before this Court that the certificates of experience, which were filed Page No.# 18/19 by some of the respondents and which certificates had not been signed by the appropriate authority, were later permitted to be rectified and the appropriate authority ultimately signed those certificates. 7. The learned Single Judge found that the writ petition preferred by the appellants herein was, though maintainable, but the allegations were such that it could not have been acted upon. 8. Apart from that, the learned Single Judge found that earlier, a Division Bench of this Court had directed the APDCL to conduct a fresh verification exercise with respect to such appointments and if any candidate for the Category-B post was found to have submitted documents pertaining to qualifications or experience after the last date of submission of application (30th April, 2026), or if any such experience was gained while the candidate was a minor, those appointments would be required to be treated as void from the beginning and would be terminated after giving notice to them. The resulting vacant post would then be offered to the next meritorious candidates which might include the appellants if they fell within the merit zone. However, the learned Single Judge rightly chose not to quash all Category-B selections outright and left the verification process to be carried out by the authorities without fixing any time limit. 9. Mr. S.P. Sharma, learned Standing Counsel, APDCL submits that pursuant to the afore-noted Division Bench judgment, a thorough exercise was conducted and some of the appointees in Category-B, whose experience certificates or age were found to be faulty, were removed from service. That exercise having been done and the rest of Page No.# 19/19 the respondents continuing in service from 2014 till date, there is no reason why this appeal should be entertained at the instance of the failed candidates for Category-A posts. 10. In view of the afore-noted direction of the Division Bench and the exercise carried out by the respondent/APDCL in compliance thereof, nothing remains to be adjudicated in this appeal. 11. Accordingly, we find no merit in this appeal and dismiss the same. JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE Comparing Assistant