Extracted from the PDF above. The PDF is authoritative.
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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) Case No. : I.A.(Civil)/2111/2026 SRI BIRAJ DAS SO LATE DEBEN DAS, RO VILL MADHAPUR, PO ARIKUCHI, PS MUKALMUA, DIST NALBARI, PIN 781339 2: SRI RITUMANI DAS SO SURENDRA NATH DAS RO VILL KHEILAPARA PO BHATTAPARA PS AZARA DIST KAMRUP M PIN 781017 3: SMTI RUNUMI KAKATI DO KAMINI MOHAN KAKATI RO VILL 2 NO GORESWAR PO AND PS GORESWAR PIN 781366 DIST BAKSA ASSAM 4: SRI RAMESWAR DEKA SO LATE SASANDRA DEKA LICHU BAGAN HENGRABARI GHY 5: SRI SUNANDA DAS SO HARESWAR DAS RO VILL BORGAON PO DORAKHARA PS KAMALPUR DIST KAMRUP M PIN 781101
Page No.# 2/6 6: SMTI NILIMA KHATOON WO MD MAJIBUR RAHMAN RO VILL BONGAON PO AND PS RANGIA DIST KAMRUP R PIN 781354 7: SMTI NITUMONI BEZBARUA SO LATE LAKSHMI BEZBARUA PO AND PS NOONMATI DIST KAMRUP M BYELANE NO 12 HOUSE NO 5 PIN 78102 VERSUS THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVT OF ASSAM, SECRETARIAT ADMINISTRATION NAZARAT DEPARTMENT, DISPUR, GHY 781006, DIST KAMRUP M, ASSAM 2:THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVT OF ASSAM FINANCE EC II DEPARTMENT DISPUR GHY 781006 DIST KAMRUP M ASSAM 3:THE STATE OF ASSAM REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY TO THE GOVT OF ASSAM GENERAL ADMINISTRATION SECRETARIAT NAZARAT DEPARTMENT DISPUR GHY 781006 DIST KAMRUP M ASSAM 4:THE DEPUTY SECRETARY GOVT OF ASSAM FINANCE ESSTT B DEPARTMENT DISPUR GHY 781006 DIST KAMRUP M ASSA
Page No.# 3/6 Advocate for the Petitioner : MR A GOHAIN, Advocate for the Respondent : GA, ASSAM, SC, FINANCE,SC, GAD
BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE KAUSHIK GOSWAMI
ORDER Date : 19.06.2026 Heard Mr. N. N. B. Choudhury, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Mr. A. Gohain, learned counsel for the applicant. Also heard Mr. A. Phukan, learned Standing Counsel appearing for the GAD.
2. The applicants/petitioners are aggrieved by the order dated 14.11.2025 whereby, although the respondent authorities have agreed to enhance the monthly remuneration payable to fixed-pay employees, including the writ petitioners, to Rs.16,400/- per month, such enhancement has been made conditional upon furnishing an undertaking to the effect that they shall not, at any point in future, claim regularization of their services.
3. The applicants/petitioners are Grade-IV employees engaged on a fixed-pay basis in the Office of the Assam Secretariat. They are presently receiving a fixed remuneration of Rs. 9,000/- (Rupees Nine Thousand) per month. Pursuant to a policy decision of the Government, the said remuneration has been revised to Rs.16,400/- per month. The grievance of the applicants/petitioners, however, is that the enhanced remuneration is being made payable only upon execution of the undertaking stipulated in the order dated 14.11.2025. Consequential directions have also been issued and a prescribed
Page No.# 4/6 format of undertaking has been circulated for the said purpose.
4. The applicants/petitioners contend that, by another decision issued on the same date, i.e. 14.11.2025, Muster Roll workers, Casual Fixed-Pay employees and other similarly situated categories of workers engaged prior to the AFRBM period have been extended the benefits flowing from the judgment rendered in State of Assam v. Upen Das, reported in 2020 (5) GLT 605, whereby such employees have been granted the minimum of the pay scale together with dearness allowance, medical allowance, annual increments and house rent allowance. According to the applicants/petitioners, they stand on an identical footing with the employees who have been granted the benefits under Upen Das (supra). Therefore, the insistence on furnishing the aforesaid undertaking as a condition precedent for receiving the enhanced remuneration has the effect of depriving them of benefits to which they may otherwise be entitled under law, including those claimed on the strength of the judgment in Upen Das (supra).
5. Upon institution of the connected writ petition, this Court, by
order dated 17.12.2025, while issuing notice, observed that the respondents shall ensure that the applicants/petitioners are granted the enhanced remuneration. It was further observed that, in the event any undertaking is furnished by the applicants/petitioners in terms of the impugned order, the same shall not prejudice or preclude the claims raised and urged by them in the present writ petition.
6. The present interlocutory application has thereafter been filed seeking a direction for release of the enhanced monthly remuneration
Page No.# 5/6 of Rs.16,400/- with effect from 14.11.2025, without prejudice to the rights and contentions raised in the writ petition, even if the applicants/petitioners are required to execute the undertaking contemplated under the Executive Order dated 14.11.2025 and the consequential Office Notice dated 21.11.2025.
7. Mr. N.N.B. Choudhury, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the applicants/petitioners, submits that a similar interlocutory application has already been disposed of by a co-ordinate Bench of this Court in I.A.(Civil) No.1854/2026 arising out of WP(C) No.7225/2025.
8. Mr. A. Phukan, learned Standing Counsel, GAD, on the other hand, submits that the relief sought by way of the present interlocutory application substantially stands covered by the interim
order dated 17.12.2025 passed by this Court while issuing notice.
9. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties and upon perusal of the materials available on record, this Court finds that, by
order dated 17.12.2025, the respondents had already been directed to ensure that the applicants/petitioners are granted the enhanced remuneration and that any undertaking furnished by them shall not operate to their prejudice in respect of the claims raised in the connected writ petition.
10. In view of the above, this Court considers it appropriate to dispose of the present interlocutory application by directing the applicants/petitioners to furnish the undertakings, as required under the Executive Order dated 14.11.2025, within a period of one week from today.
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11. Upon such undertakings being furnished, the respondents shall, within a period of one month thereafter, release to the applicants/petitioners the enhanced remuneration at the rate of Rs.16,400/- per month with effect from 14.11.2025.
12. It is further clarified that any undertaking furnished by the applicants/petitioners pursuant to the aforesaid order shall be without prejudice to the claims, rights and contentions raised by them in WP(C) No.7262/2025 and shall abide by the outcome of the said writ proceedings.
13. The timelines stipulated herein shall be strictly complied with by the parties.
14. With the above observations and directions, the interlocutory application stands disposed of. JUDGE Comparing Assistant