99 Supplementary IN THE HIGH COURT OF JAMMU & KASHMIR AND LADAKH AT SRINAGAR WP(C) 1686/2026 CM(4439/2026)) MUSHTAQ AHMAD KHANDAY AND OTHERS ….. Petitioner(s) Through: Mr. Mir Suhail, Advocate. V/s UNION TERRITORY OF J AND K AND OTHERS ….. Respondent(s) Through: Mr. Jahangeer Dar, GA Coram: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sanjay Dhar, Judge ORDER 17.07.2026 1. The petitioners, through the medium of present petition has sought a direction upon the respondents for release of their legitimately earned pending wages for the period from the year 2018 to November 2019 @ Rs. 225 per day. 2. It is case of the petitioner that they came to be engaged as casual labourers by the respondent Department from time to time and that they have been continuously discharging their duties to the satisfaction of the respondent Department. It has been further submitted that the respondent Department has been paying wages to the petitioner continuously but during the period from the year 2018 to November 2019, wages of the petitioners have been kept withheld by the respondent Department. It has been further submitted that the respondent Department has in similarly situated P a g e | 2 WP(C) 1686/2026 CM(4439/2026 cases released the withheld wages in favour of 102 casual labourers after a direction was passed by this Court in WP(C) No. 2282/2024 on 10.12.2024 3. Issue notice to the respondents. 4. Mr. Jahangeer Dar, learned GA accepts notice on behalf of the respondents. 5. Learned counsel for the petitioner has submitted that the petitioners would feel satisfied if a direction is issued to the respondents to consider their claim for release of legitimately earned wages for the period for which they have withheld the same. 6. In view of the above, the petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to consider the claim of the petitioners as projected in the present writ petition in accordance with law and if the petitioners are found to be entitled to any wages, the same shall be released in their favour within a period of two months from the date a copy of this order is made available to the respondents. 7. Disposed of as above. (Sanjay Dhar) Judge SRINAGAR 17.07.2026 Aasif