1 2026:CGHC:22735 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPS No. 4136 of 2026 1 - Dilip Kumar Sahu S/o Bhukan Lal Sahu Aged About 57 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Dhansuli, Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 2 - Ghanshyam Prasad Yadav S/o Kishun Ram Yadav Aged About 57 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Ganaud , Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 3 - Dadulal Dhivar S/o Late Sarhuram Dhivar Aged About 52 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Tekari Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 4 - Ravi Tandan S/o Lt. Samaru Tandan Aged About 59 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Khauli Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) SHOAIB ANWAR Digitally signed by SHOAIB ANWAR Date: 2026.05.14 17:42:13 +0530 2 5 - Loknath Sahu S/o Lt. Chabilal Sahu Aged About 58 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Chatauna Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 6 - Shiv Kumar Banjare S/o Hiralal Banjare Aged About 54 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Birbira Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 7 - Laxmi Kumar Chandrakar S/o Late Dhasuram Chandrakar Aged About 57 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Ameri , Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 8 - Loknath Sahu S/o Mansharam Sahu Aged About 61 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Kukra , Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 9 - Johat Ram Dhivar S/o Mohan Lal Dhivar Aged About 53 Years Presently Posted As Panchayat Sachiv At Gram Panchayat Umariya Janpad Panchayat- Aarang Zila Panchayat - Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) ... Petitioner(s) versus 3 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through- The Secretary Panchayat And Rural Development Department Mantralaya Nava Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 2 - Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat And Rural Development Department Mantralaya Nava Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 3 - Director Directorate Of Panchayat Sector-19 North Block- Vikas Bhawan Ground Floor Nava Raipur Atal Nagar District- Raipur (C.G.) 4 - Collector Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 5 - Chief Executive OfÏcer Zila Panchayat Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) 6 - Committee For Deciding The Grievance Of Panchayat Sachiv Through- Its Chairman Panchayat And Rural Development Department Mantralaya Nava Raipur District- Raipur (C.G.) ... Respondent(s) For Petitioner(s) : Shri Rohit Sharma, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Ms. Diksha Gouraha, Dy. Govt. Advocate HON’BLE SHRI JUSTICE BIBHU DATTA GURU Order on Board 14.05.2026 1. With the consent of the counsel for respective parties, the 4 matter is heard and disposed of finally. 2. Petitioners have filed this writ petition seeking following reliefs:- “10.1 To issue appropriate writ /order or direction and thereby direct the respondent authority/committee to submit its report to the state government in a time bound manner preferably within a period of two month. 10.2 To issue appropriate writ /order or direction and thereby direct the respondent state to decide the grievance of the petitioners in a time bound manner. 10.3 Grant any other relief(s)/ order(s)/ direction(s) in favour of petitioner, which may deem fit and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case, including awarding of the cost to the petitioner.” 3. Brief facts of the case, is that, the petitioners were appointed as Panchayat Karmi (Sachiv) in their respective Gram Panchayat in the year 1995, and they continue to function as employee of the Gram Panchayat under the general control of the State Government. Considering the long- standing 5 demand for regularization of Panchayat Sachivs into the State Government cadre, the respondent State of Chhattisgarh, as a matter of policy, has acknowledged this issue, and the Hon'ble Chief Minister publicly declared the constitution of a committee to examine the matter and to take appropriate steps in furtherance of the legitimate expectations of the petitioners and similarly placed persons. Pursuant to this declaration, the Secretariat of the Chief Minister issued a formal communication to the Chief Secretary as well as to the Secretary, Panchayat and Gramin Vikas Vibhag, directing them to act upon the declaration and to periodically update the Chief Minister's ofÏce. However, despite the lapse of more than a year since the declaration and the subsequent ofÏcial communication, no substantive action has been taken. The declaration of the Chief Minister and the consequent communication from the Secretariat have created a right of legitimate expectation and promissory estoppel in favour of the petitioner and others similarly situated, thereby necessitating timely compliance regarding constitution of the committee and further proceedings for regularization of Panchayat Sachivs as government employees. Although the 6 Chief Minister, being the head of the State Government, has taken a conscious decision after considering the peculiar circumstances and long-pending demands of the petitioner, and the concerned authorities are duty-bound to act in accordance with the communications issued, the respondents have failed to take any concrete steps, thereby frustrating the legitimate expectations of the petitioner through an act contrary to law. The newspaper reports published online and downloaded by the petitioner, reflecting the Chief Minister's declaration regarding the constitution of a committee and the direction for time-bound action, further substantiate their claim. Despite the issuance of the communication dated 02.05.2022 by the Chief Minister's Secretariat for giving effect to the declaration, the respondents have not complied with the directions in letter and spirit, resulting in infringement of the petitioner’s right to legitimate expectation. As policies are required to operate within a reasonable time frame, the deliberate inaction in constituting the committee has jeopardized the rights of the petitioner and similarly placed persons, thereby warranting appropriate directions from this Hon'ble Court to uphold the principles of legitimate 7 expectation and promissory estoppel. Hence, this writ petition has been filed. 4. Learned counsel for the petitioners submits that the present petition has been instituted seeking a limited but necessary direction to the competent authorities to consider and pass appropriate orders in accordance with the constitution of the committee, as notified vide memo dated 02.05.2022, and further to ensure that consequential orders are issued strictly on the basis of the recommendations made by the said committee, so that the petitioners lawful claim may be adjudicated in a just and timely manner. 5. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State submits that the respondents are actively considering the petitioners claim and, in this regard, they undertake that the competent authorities shall pass appropriate and necessary orders in accordance with law, thereby ensuring that the grievance raised in the present petition is duly examined and decided. 6. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record. 7. Considering the facts and circumstances of the case and further considering the fact that the concerned respondent 8 authorities are directed to decide the grievance of the petitioners by way of constitution of the committee and to pass appropriate orders within a reasonable time. 8. With the aforesaid observation and direction, this writ petition stands finally disposed of. Sd/- (BIBHU DATTA GURU) JUDGE Shoaib