Research › Search › Judgment

Madras High Court · body

2014 DIGILAW 2815 (MAD)

T. Durai v. Government of Tamil Nadu

2014-08-22

R.S.RAMANATHAN

body2014
Order 1. Mr. N. Inbanathan, learned Government Advocate takes notice for the respondents. By consent, the Writ Petitions are taken up for final disposal, at the admission stage itself. 2. It is the case of the petitioners that the petitioners were appointed on daily wages in the Forest Department and subsequently, their services were regularised, but not on par with their juniors. However, the juniors of the petitioners, who are able to read and write and acquired SSLC qualification were promoted earlier than petitioners as per the qualification fixed by G.O.Ms.No.332, Environment and Forest Department, dated 22.12.1994. Thereafter, G.O.Ms.No.64, Environment and Forest Department, dated 08.03.1999 was issued restoring the qualification of ability to read and write, instead of SSLC. Though some of the petitioners were brought into regular time scale of pay as Forest Watchers and some of them were promoted to the post of Forest Guards, some of the petitioners have not even brought on cadre post of Forest Watcher, but in a non-cadre post of Plot Watcher (Suprnumerary). 3. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners would submit that the issue is already covered by the decision in the Writ Petition filed by similarly placed persons in W.P.No.15561 of 2006 dated 10.03.2008, which was confirmed in W.A.No.690 of 2008 dated 13.10.2009. 4. Heard the learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents. 5. Considering the fact that the petitioners' juniors were already regularised, even before the petitioners could get regularised, as per the decision referred to above, it is appropriate to direct the respondents to regularise the service of the petitioners on par with their juniors as Forest Watches, within a period of twelve weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this order. The petitioners are entitled to only regularisation from the date on which, the juniors were regularised and they are not entitled to any monetary benefits from that date. 6. With the above directions, the Writ Petitions are disposed of. No costs.