Jayanti Mandal And ORS. v. The State Of West Bengal And ORS.
Form No. J.(2) Item No. DL/5-6 adeb - AR (CT)
IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA
Constitutional Writ Jurisdiction (Appellate Side) W.P.A. NO. 2054 OF 2025 JAYANTI MANDAL & ORS.
Vs.
THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL & ORS.
with W.P.A. NO. 2185 OF 2024 CHAITALI MONDAL & ORS.
Vs.
THE STATE OF WEST BENGAL & ORS.
BEFORE: THE HON'BLE JUSTICE SAUGATA BHATTACHARYYA For the Petitioner : Ms. Papiya Chattopadhyay, Adv.
(WPA 2054 of 2025) For the Petitioner : Mr. Hasanauz Zaman Molla, Adv (WPA 2185 of 2024) Ms. Salini Bhattacharjee, Adv. For the State : Mr. Sudipta Panda, Adv.
(WPA 2054 of 2025) Mr. Arindam Mitra, Adv.
For the State : Mr. Rezaul Hossain, Adv.
(WPA 2185 of 2024) Hearing concluded on : 22.12.2025 Judgment On : 22.12.2025 SAUGATA BHATTACHARYYA, J.:
1. Two writ petitions are heard in presence of the learned advocates representing the petitioners and respondents.
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2. In the writ petition being WPA 2054 of 2025 petitioners are praying for implementation of memo no. 29/ICDS/MCK dated 22nd January, 2024 issued by the Child Development Project Officer, Manikchak ICDS Project, Malda (concerned CDPO) in order to get the responsibility of additional charge of Anganwadi Workers as decided by the authority.
3. In the writ petition being WPA 2185 of 2024 petitioners questioned issuance of said memo dated 22nd January, 2024 issued by concerned CDPO as petitioners are functioning as Anganwadi Workers in their respective Anganwadi Centres and also having the responsibility of additional charge in respect of those Anganwadi Centres as delineated in the order dated 22nd January, 2024.
4. On perusal of memo dated 22nd January, 2024 whereby additional charge was given to the petitioners in WPA 2054 of 2025 it appears new Anganwadi Workers were granted additional charge in respect of some Anganwadi Centres as the petitioners in WPA 2185 of 2024 had additional charge from 2010 onwards.
5. It is not demonstrated by the petitioners in WPA 2185 of 2024 that if additional charge is given to the petitioners in WPA 2054 of 2025 how the petitioners in WPA 2185 of 2024 are affected.
6. Leave was granted by a coordinate bench to the petitioners in WPA 2185 of 2024 to file an exception to the report filed by the concerned CDPO which was affirmed on 8th July, 2024 but till date no exception is filed. Such leave was granted vide order dated 8th July, 2024.
7. It is specifically averred in paragraph 12 of the said report that for discharging duty having additional charge in connection with
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8. For administrative exigency, if the concerned CDPO vide memo dated 22nd January, 2024 decided to assign additional charge to the petitioners in WPA 2054 of 2025 same ought not to be interfered with by this Court as the petitioners in WPA 2185 of 2024 had the additional charge for a substantial period of time.
9. In aforesaid conspectus the writ petition being WPA 2185 of 2024 stands dismissed.
10. Child Development Project Officer, Manikchak ICDS Project, Malda is directed to implement the memo dated 22nd January, 2024 by permitting the petitioners in WPA 2054 of 2025 to get the additional charge and function as Anganwadi Workers in addition to their regular responsibility to function as Anganwadi Workers in other Anganwadi Centres. However, relieving the petitioners in WPA 2185 of 2024 of additional charges shall not be construed as stigma so far those petitioners are concerned.
11. The writ petition being WPA 2054 of 2025 stands disposed of.
12. Urgent photostat certified copy of the order, if applied for, be given to the parties, upon usual undertakings.
(SAUGATA BHATTACHARYYA, J.)