Page No.# 1/11 GAHC010098712026 undefined THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : WP(C)/2684/2026 TAJIM BASUMATARY S/O- SRI. UMESH BASUMATARY, R/O- VILL- SIMOLGURI KOILA MOILA, P.O.- KOILA MOILA, DIST.- CHIRANG, B.T.C, ASSAM, 2: MEDA GOYARY S/O- SRI SINDRA GOYARY R/O- VILL- NANGDARBIL P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM 3: DARSHAD BARHMA S/O- SRI JALESWAR BRAHMA R/O- VILL- NO. 1 KACHUBIL P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 4: BIRKHANG BRAHMA S/O- SRI RAJANI BRAHMA R/O- VILL- NO. 1 KACHUBIL P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 5: MIJING BORO S/O- SRI BHABEN BORO R/O- VILL- DANSWRANG P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 6: SWMKWR BORO Page No.# 2/11 S/O- SRI MAHENDRA BORO R/O- VILL- NC DAMUGAON P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 7: NWGWRSING BRAHMA S/O- SRI THIREN BRAHMA R/O- VILL- NO.4A MWINAGURI P.O.- SILBARI ABADIPARA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 8: MANJIT BRAHMA S/O- SRI KARTENG BRAHMA R/O- VILL- DOGORPARA P.O.- CHAPAGURI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 9: MONIL NARZARY S/O- SRI BAW NARZARY R/O- VILL- MAKRAGAON P.O.- KUNGKRAJHORA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 10: SWMKWR NARZARY S/O- SRI BIRENDRA NARZARY R/O- VILL- KOILA MOILA P.O.- KOILA MOILA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 11: DERHASAT BORO S/O- SRI LABA RAM BORO R/O- VILL- NO. 1 KACHUBIL P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 12: KRIPANANDA RAY S/O- LOHIT RAY R/O- VILL- NO.1 BARPATHAR P.O.- BARPATHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. Page No.# 3/11 13: RUDRASING BORO S/O- RANSING BORO R/O- VILL- NO.3 CHOURANG P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 14: BALEN RAY S/O- NIRMAL RAY R/O- VILL- BARSHIJHAR P.O.- BORPATHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 15: SRI BHUPEN CHANDRA RAY S/O- LT. LOHIT RAY R/O- VILL- NO. 1 BARPATHAR P.O.- BARPATHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 16: LAKHI KANTA KALITA S/O- MAHINDRA KALITA R/O- VILL- NO. 2 BARPATHAR P.O.- BARPATHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 17: GOBINDA TUDU S/O- GOPINATH TUDU R/O- VILL- MOHANPUR P.O.- DEASRI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 18: SAKAL MURMU S/O- BAJUN MURMU R/O- DEOSRI F/BLOCK P.O.- DESARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 19: BIKRAM HASDA S/O- LOKHIRAM HASDA R/O- VILL- PAHARPUR P.O.- BISMURI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. Page No.# 4/11 20: SABITA BRAHMA W/O- PRAFULLA BRAHMA R/O- VILL- DONGSIAPARA NO.1 P.O.- B/LADANGURI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 21: HIMALAYA BORO S/O- DHARMESWAR BORO R/O- VILL- PANBARI P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 22: JWNGSAR BORO S/O- BABURAM BORO R/O- VILL- NO.1 CHOURANG P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 23: RABIN MARDI S/O- KANU MARDI R/O- VILL- DEASRI F/BLOCK P.O.- DEOSRI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 24: SANSUNWI BASUMATARY D/O- MALENDRA BASUMATARY R/O- VILL- KUNGKHURAJHORA P.O.- KUNGKHURAJHORA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 25: MANOJ MUCHAHARY S/O- SURAJ MUCHAHARY R/O- VILL- NO. 2 SARAGAON P.O.- HANCHARA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 26: MWGTHANG BRAHMA S/O- LT. BISTU RAM BRAHMA R/O- VILL- PANBARI P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG Page No.# 5/11 B.T.C. ASSAM. 27: BISHNU MUCHAHARY S/O- BADAM MUCHAHARY R/O- VILL- NO. 3 CHOURANG P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 28: ANARJOHN NARZARY S/O- JONOTA NARZARY R/O- VILL- BELGURY P.O.- MALIVITA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 29: RWDWM MUCHAHARY S/O- KAMALA MUCHAHARY R/O- VILL- ULUBARI P.O.- SILIKHAGURI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 30: SANTIRAM NARZARY S/O- KANAK NARZARY R/O- VILL- ULUBARI P.O.- SILIKHAGURI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 31: GEORGE NARZARY S/O- HEBOL NARZARY R/O- VILL- 1 NO. TUKRAJHAR P.O.- TUKRAJHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 32: BARUN CH RAY S/O- LOHIT RAY R/O- VILL- BARPATHAR NO. 1 P.O.- BARPATHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 33: NITANANDA RAY S/O- NIRMAL RAY R/O- VILL- BARSIJHAR P.O.- PANBARI Page No.# 6/11 DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 34: KAMISON RAY S/O- LOHIT RAY R/O- VILL- BARPATHAR NO. 1 P.O.- BARPATHAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 35: PRANITA ISWARY C/O- KARENDRA ISWARY R/O- VILL- GOKULKATA P.O.- GOKULKATA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 36: SANJITA ISWARY D/O- KARENDRA ISWARY R/O- VILL- NO. 1 TUKRAJHAR P.O.- NO. 1 TUKRAJHAN DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 37: SANJIB SWARGIARY S/O- NAGA SWARGIARY R/O- VILL- KALBARI P.O.- ANANDA BAZAR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 38: PRANJIT GOYARY S/O- CHARAN GOYARY R/O- VILL- KUKURMARI P.O.- DHALIGAON DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 39: SAMARIA BORGOYARY D/O- JUYEL BORGOYARY R/O- VILL- NO. 2 ODALGURI P.O.- SANTIPUR DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 40: KESHAB CHANDRA RAY S/O- PABAN RAY R/O- VILL- SIMLAGURI Page No.# 7/11 P.O.- BALLAMGURI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 41: JIRAJ NARZARY S/O- AMOLEN NARZARY R/O- VILL- CHANBARIKUTI P.O.- BARIMUKH DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 42: BIDINTHA RAMCHIARY S/O- FULEN RAMCHIARY R/O- VILL- AMLAIGURI P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 43: FWILAO DAIMARY S/O- KANAK DAIMARY R/O- VILL- BAGIDWARA P.O.- SULIAKATA DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM. 44: RIFIKHANG BORO S/O- BIRAN BORO R/O- VILL- NO 1 CHOURANG P.O.- PANBARI DIST.- CHIRANG B.T.C. ASSAM VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM AND OTHRS REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY, ENVIRONMENT AND FOREST DEPARTMENT, DISPUR, ASSAM, GUWAHATI- 06. 2:THE PRINCIPAL CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST 2.ASSAM REHABARI GUWAHATI-08. 3:THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM FINANCE DEPARTMENT Page No.# 8/11 DISPUR GUWAHATI-06 4:THE BODOLAND TERRITORIAL COUNCIL (BTC) 4.REPRESENTED BY THE PRINCIPAL SECRETARY KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN- 783370. 5:THE SECRETARY FOREST DEPARTMENT BTC ASSAM PIN- 783370. 6:THE COUNCIL HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREST BTC KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370. 7:THE CHIEF CONSERVATOR OF FOREST BTC KOKRAJHAR ASSAM PIN-783370 8:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER CHIRANG DIVISION KAJALGAON CHIRANG BTR ASSAM PIN-783385 9:THE DIVISIONAL FOREST OFFICER KOKRAJHAR DIVISION KOKRAJHAR BTR ASSAM PIN-783385. 10:THE FOREST RANGE OFFICER BASUGAON FOREST DEPOT UNDER CHIRANG DIVISION BTC ASSAM PIN- 783372. Page No.# 9/11 11:THE FOREST RANGE OFFICER SIDLI RANGE RUNIKHATA CHIRANG DIVISION BTC ASSAM PIN- 783375 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR. M KHAN, MR. R. AHMED,MS J AKTAR Advocate for the Respondent : SC, FOREST, SC. BTC,SC, FINANCE BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE RAJESH MAZUMDAR ORDER 25.05.2026 Heard Mr. M. Khan, learned counsel for the petitioners. Also heard Mr. I. Borthakur, learned Standing Counsel for the Forest Department, representing respondents No.1 and 2; Mr. A. Chaliha, learned Standing Counsel, Finance Department, for the respondent No. 3 and Ms. N. Choudhury, learned Standing Counsel for the BTC, appears for respondents Nos. 4 to 11. 2. The petitioners (147 in numbers) in the instant writ petition are working as Casual Workers in the Forest Department under the BTC. The petitioners were engaged due to shortage of manpower in the said Department, and ever since their engagement as Master Roll/Casual workers for various clubs, societies and NGOs to protect the forests and wildlife of Manas National Park, Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary, Ripu and Page No.# 10/11 Chirang Elephant Reserve Forest and other forest areas, they have been paid only a meager amount as fixed wages. 3. It is the case of the petitioners that they are entitled to get the benefits of the minimum pay scale in terms of the decision rendered by the Division Bench of this Court in State of Assam & Ors. vs. Shri Upen Das & Ors., reported in 2020 (5) GLT 605. 4. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners submits that, indisputably, the petitioners have been working as Master Roll/Casual Workers in the aforesaid clubs, societies and NGOs since the year 2006– 2007 and, therefore, they are eligible for at least the minimum pay scale in terms of the decision in Shri Upen Das (supra). 5. The learned counsel further submits that similarly situated persons have already approached this Hon’ble Court by filing a writ petition, i.e., WP(C) 4193/2025, wherein a Coordinate Bench of this Court, by the order dated 30.07.2025, directed that the petitioners therein be granted the benefit of the minimum pay scale in terms of Upen Das (supra). 6. In view of the aforesaid, the learned counsel submits that the present petitioners, being similarly situated, should also be granted the same benefits in terms of the order dated 30.07.2025. Page No.# 11/11 7. The learned Standing Counsel for the BTC has fairly submitted that the case of the petitioners is also covered by the aforesaid decision dated 30.07.2025. 8. In view of the aforesaid submissions, this Court directs that the petitioners shall be granted the benefit of minimum pay scale in terms of the decision rendered in Upen Das (supra), after the necessary verification, as may be required by the Forest Department. 9. After such verification, the necessary payment shall be made to the petitioners as expeditiously as possible, and in any case within a period of 3 (three) months from the date of passing of this order. The whole exercise(s) shall be completed within the aforesaid period. 10. In view of the above direction, the instant writ petition stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant