Baby Rani And Others v. State Of Punjab And Another

In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, at Chandigarh Civil Writ Petition No. 33033 of 2019 Date of Decision: 27.02.2023 Baby Rani and Others ... Petitioner(s)

Versus

State of Punjab and Another ... Respondent(s) CORAM: Hon'ble Mr. Justice Anil Kshetarpal.

Present:

Mr. Kapil Kakkar, Advocate for the petitioner(s).

Mr. D.K.Singal, Additional Advocate General, Punjab, for the respondents.

Anil Kshetarpal, J.

1.

This writ petition has been filed by as many as eight petitioners. They pray for issuance of a writ in the nature of mandamus to direct the respondents to issue the respective appointment letters to them as Punjabi Mistresses. The petitioners claim that a recruitment notice was issued on 23.09.2009 inviting applications to fill up 7654 posts of Master/Mistress cadre on contract basis and as per their marks duly calculated and their academic qualifications, they are entitled to be appointed. 2.

The learned counsel representing the petitioners draws the attention of the Court to the seniority list of Master/Mistress cadre issued on 19.06.2019 wherein, the petitioners have been reflected to be working. 3.

On the other hand, the learned counsel representing the State, while filing the reply, has submitted that the petitioners were never appointed and the aforesaid seniority list suffers from an inadvertent error. It DEEPAK KUMAR BHARDWAJ 2023.02.28 16:55 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document

Civil Writ Petition No. 33033 of 2019 has been submitted that the aforesaid seniority list has already been quashed by this Court in Harbhajan Singh and Others v. State of Punjab and Another (Civil Writ Petition No. 28434 of 2019, decided on 15.02.2023). 4.

The petitioners have filed the writ petition after a period of ten years from the date on which the recruitment notice was issued. Admittedly, the petitioners were never issued any appointment letter. Thus, this Court does not find it appropriate to issue any writ directing the respondents to appoint them particularly when the writ petition suffers from unexplained delay and laches. Consequently, the present writ petition is dismissed solely on the ground of delay.

(Anil Kshetarpal) Judge February 27, 2023 "DK"

Whether speaking/reasoned :Yes/No Whether reportable : Yes/No DEEPAK KUMAR BHARDWAJ 2023.02.28 16:55 I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document