Patna High Court
Nagendra Kumar SinghversusThe State of Bihar
- Decided
- Disposal
- DISPOSED
- Bench
- AJIT KUMAR
Holding
The petitioner must be treated as a government employee from 01‑07‑1988 and is entitled to all retirement benefits, with the respondents directed to grant them.
Summary
The petitioner, Nagendra Kumar Singh, was initially appointed as a daily wager in the Bihar State Sports Authority on 26‑02‑1988 and was regularised on 20‑06‑2000 with effect from 01‑07‑1988. He sought a writ of mandamus directing the State to grant him retirement benefits (pension, gratuity, group insurance) and to fix his salary from the date of his original appointment, arguing that similar employees had received such benefits. The State contended that his regularisation occurred after the 2000 Service Rules and therefore his case differed from earlier precedents. The Court examined the earlier judgments in Nathu Ansari v. State of Bihar and Anil Kumar v. State of Bihar, holding that the absorption date confers entitlement to all accrued benefits and that the petitioner’s claim is identical to those precedents. Consequently, the Court directed the respondents to treat the petitioner as a government employee from 01‑07‑1988 and to award all retirement benefits within twelve weeks. The writ petition was disposed of in the petitioner’s favour.
Issues considered
- Whether the petitioner is entitled to retirement benefits (pension, gratuity, group insurance) from the date of his initial appointment despite later regularisation.
- Whether fixing the petitioner’s salary from the date of regularisation is discriminatory.
- Whether Clause‑15 of the Notification dated 10‑April‑2000 and the absorption order confer entitlement to benefits.
- Whether the precedent set in Nathu Ansari v. State of Bihar applies to the petitioner’s case.
- Whether the respondents are obligated to issue a mandamus directing grant of the claimed benefits.
Subjects
- regularisation
- retirement benefits
- pension
- gratuity
- ACP
- MACP
- service rules
- writ of mandamus
- Bihar State Sports Authority
- absorption
- government employee
Judgment
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No.13221 of 2023
======================================================
Nagendra Kumar Singh Son of Ramdeo Singh, Resident of Mohalla-
Saristabad, Rajputana, P.S.- Gardanibagh, District- Patna, Bihar.
... ... Petitioner/s
Versus
1. The State of Bihar through the Additional Chief Secretary, Art Culture and
Youth Department, Govt. of Bihar.
2. The Joint Secretary, Art Culture and Youth Department, Govt. of Bihar.
3. The Director General, Bihar State Sports Authority, Patliputra Sports
Complex, Kankarbagh, Patna - 800020.
4. The Director cum Special Secretary, Student and Youth Welfare, Art Culture
and Youth Department, Govt. of Bihar, 3rd Floor, Vikash Bhawan, New
Secretariat, Patna - 800015.
5. The Director cum Secretary, Bihar State Sports Authority, Patliputra Sports
Complex, Kankarbagh, Patna - 800020.
... ... Respondent/s
======================================================
Appearance :
For the Petitioner/s : Mr. Shashank Chandra, Adv.
For the Respondent/s : Mr. Sarvesh Kumar Singh ( AAG 13 )
======================================================
CORAM: HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE AJIT KUMAR
ORAL JUDGMENT
Date : 31-01-2026
The writ application has been filed for the following
relief:-
“1. That this is an application praying for
issuance of a Writ in the nature of a Writ of mandamus
or any other appropriate Writ order, direction
commanding the Respondents, to forthwith:-
(i). To fix and to grant the retiral benefits
(Pension, Gratuity, Group Insurance etc.) to the
Petitioner in view of the fact that the Petitioner was
regularized in service w.e.f. 01.07.1988 and has also
been granted the benefits of service continuity, seniority
and ACP/MACP from the said date, as such the
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Petitioner w.e.f. 01.07.1988 was made a regular
government employee, which entitles the Petitioner to
receive the aforesaid retiral benefits. Further even
similarly situated employees, who although were
initially appointed in Bihar State Sports Authority but
subsequently their services were regularized under the
Art. Culture & Youth Department, Govt. of Bihar and
were posted at different places vide Memo No 427 dated
23.10.2000 (Annexure P/3). However, the services of the
Petitioner was regularised in the Art. Culture & Youth
Department, Govt. of Bihar vide Order dated
20.06.2000 issued by Respondent No.3 w.e.f. 01.07.1988
and also in view of the fact that an employee of the
authority namely, Nathu Ansari posted as a Driver, has
been granted the benefits of pension, gratuity etc vide
Order contained in Memo No. 568 dated 13.04.2023
(Annexure -P/9).
(ii). To quash the part of the Order dated
20.06.2000 (Annexure P/2 )issued by the Respondent
No. 3 to the extent it does not grants the financial
benefits, including the fixation of salary to the
Petitioner, from the date of his appointment, rather the
salary is being fixed from the date of regularization, as
the same is discriminatory in view of the fact that the
employees of the Sports Authority who have been
regularized in the Department have been given financial
benefit including fixation of salary, from the date of their
initial appointment in the Sports Authority.
(iii) The Petitioner further prays for a
consequential Writ of Mandamus commanding the
Respondents to fix the salary of the Petitioner from the
date of appointment i.e.. 01.07.1988 and not from the
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dated of his regularization and also to grant all the
financial benefits and to act strictly in accordance with
law.”
2. Counsel for the petitioner submits that initially the
appointment of the petitioner was made in Bihar State Sports
Authority on 26.02.1988 on temporary basis as a daily wager.
However, even after lapse of almost 12 years of service, the
petitioner’s service was not regularized and as such, for
regularizing the services and allowing regular pay-scale,
representation was made before the authorities by the petitioner.
3. It is next submitted that the services of the petitioner
as well as other similarly situated persons were not regularized and
regular benefits were denied, which led to filing of the writ
petition bearing CWJC No. 7361 of 1993 before this Court and,
same was disposed of vide order dated 05.09.1997 with a direction
to the State Government to get the rules of service condition of the
employees of the Sports Authority approved, which was duly
approved and the Department came out with a Notification no. 139
dated 10.04.2000, governing the appointment as well other
services conditions of the employees of the Sports Authority being
known as Bihar State Sports Authority Appointment Rules, 2000.
4. It is next submitted that as per the Rules, so notified,
the services of the petitioner was regularized vide order dated
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20.06.2000 with effect from 01.07.1988 and as per his seniority,
the salary of the petitioner was fixed in the pay-scale of 4000-
6000.
5. Counsel for the petitioner further submits that since,
the benefits under ACP has already been granted by treating him to
be in service with effect from the date of absorption/adjustment
dated 01.07.1988,therefore, the benefits of pension and pensionary
benefit by treating the petitioner to be a government service has to
be reckoned from the date of his initial appointment.
6. It is the case of the petitioner that after regularization,
the services of the petitioner, in view of the resolution of the
Finance Department as contained in Resolution No. 4685 dated
25.06.2003 and 7566 dated 14.07.2010 issued by the Art Culture
and Youth Department, the meeting of Departmental Screening
Committee was called for and recommendation for grant of benefit
of ACP/MACP was granted vide order as contained in letter no.
61/2019 dated 25.07.2019 and from perusal of the said order, it
would be crystal clear that by considering the date of
regularization with effect from 01.07.1988 and the date of
superannuation of this petitioner with effect from 30.05.2020, the
petitioner is said to have been allowed the benefit of 1 st, 2nd and 3rd
ACP/MACP.
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7. Counsel for the petitioner has next submitted that
since the previous period of the petitioner has already been
recognized as a period rendered in the government service and
similarly situated person in the case of Nathu Ansari Vs. The
State of Bihar & Ors (L.P.A. No. 205 of 2016), wherein, the
Hon’ble Division Bench had an occasion to consider Clause 15 of
the Notification dated 10.04.2000, in which, it was held that the
right which has accrued to the employees by virtue of their
absorption, as a government servant, is required to be protected
and accordingly, appropriate directions have been issued to the
respondent authority to grant all such benefits to the employees of
the authority, in whose favour the absorption has been directed by
treating them to be a government employee with effect from the
date of absorption.
8. It is further submitted that the date of absorption with
effect from 01.07.1988, which is said to have been notified by
issuing a specific order as contained in Annexure-14 being, Memo
No. 247 dated 20.06.2000, the petitioner becomes entitled to all
such benefits accruing to him by virtue of the notification dated
20.06.2000 and there may not be any reason before the authorities
in not allowing such benefits to the petitioner by treating him to be
a government employee.
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9. Counsel for the petitioner by referring to the judgment
rendered by a Co-ordinate Bench of this Court in the case of Anil
Kumar Vs. The State of Bihar & Ors. (CWJC No. 4955 of 2022)
submits that the said writ petitioner being similar to the present
petitioner, who was also adjusted and regularized in the authority
w.e.f. 26.03.1987 as against the sanctioned post vide office order
no. 26 dated 03.05.1997, in whose favour, by relying upon the
judgment rendered by Hon’ble Division Bench in the case of
Nathu Ansari (supra), the Co-ordinate Bench has directed the
respondents to consider the claim of the petitioner of the aforesaid
writ petition, the case of this petitioner is also required to be
considered in similar terms by giving similar treatment and to pay
consequential benefits including the retirement benefits at par with
the case of Anil Kumar (supra).
10. On the other hand, counsel for the State, by referring
to the stand taken in the counter affidavit, submits that the
petitioner was initially appointed as a daily wager and, after
framing of Service Rules for the employees of the Sports
Authority, his service was regularized, which is much after the
absorption orders were issued in the case of Nathu Ansari and
Anil Kumar (supra), while the order of regularization in respect of
the petitioner, only came to be issued in the year 2000, when the
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Sports Authority had already notified its Service Rules being
known as Bihar State Sports Authority Appointment Rules, 2000,
which had already come into effect and, therefore, his case is not
similar to that of Nathu Ansari and Anil Kumar (supra).
11. It is next submitted that after the directions have
been issued by the Hon’ble Division Bench and, as also, the Co-
ordinate Bench of this Court, the authorities of the Sports
Department have already taken a decision by passing necessary
orders, which is appended with the rejoinder to the supplementary
counter affidavit filed on behalf of the respondent nos. 1 & 2,
which is contained in Memo No. 88 & 89 dated 03.06.2025 by
which the benefits of regularization by treating them to be a
government employee has been passed and benefits have also been
extended.
12. It is next contended that by referring to the order, the
rule governing the service condition of the employees, known as
Bihar State Sports Authority Rule, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as
‘the Rule, 2000’) wherein, the Rule 15 of the aforesaid Rule, 2000
clearly stipulates that benefit of pension and gratuity will not be
admissible to the employees of the Authority, but they will be
covered by the Contributory Provident Fund and Group Insurance
Scheme with the approval of the State Government. With regard to
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benefit of MACP, it is submitted that the authority have already
granted the benefit of ACP/MACP as admissible to the petitioner.
13. After considering the submission of the respective
parties, this Court finds that the issues at hand being identical to
the present one, appears to have been adjudicated in the case of
Nathu Ansari Vs. The State of Bihar & Ors (L.P.A. No. 205 of
2016) in which the Hon’ble Division Bench of this Court in its
penultimate paragraph has held as follows:
“Accordingly, we are of the considered view that by
applying the provisions of Clause-15 of the notification
dated 10th of April, 2000 the rights that had accrued to the
petitioner by virtue of his being absorbed as a Government
Servant on 3rd of May, 1997 cannot be taken away. That
apart, when all these factors were considered by us while
hearing the matter on 12th of July, 2017 and when the
notification Annexure-A dated 10th of April, 2000 were
brought to our notice, we directed the petitioner to indicate
as to whether he has availed all the benefits accruing to him
by virtue of this notification dated 10th of April, 2000 and at
that point of time, we were of the considered view that prima
facie the petitioner cannot take the benefits of both the
conditions of absorption and the notification dated 10th of
April, 2000. In pursuance to the order passed on 12th of
July, 2017 the petitioner has filed a supplementary affidavit
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and in para 12 of the said supplementary affidavit specific
averments have been made by the petitioner to say that none
of the benefits accruing to an employee by virtue of a
Government notification dated 10th of April, 2000 was made
available to the petitioner nor he has availed any of such
benefits. To this supplementary affidavit, State Government
has also filed supplementary counter affidavit on 25th of
August, 2017 and there is nothing in this affidavit to show
that the petitioner was granting the benefits by virtue of the
notification dated 10th of April, 2000. Therefore, it is a case
where treating the petitioner to be a Government Employee
having been absorbed on 3rd of May, 1997 even the benefit
accruing to him by virtue of the notification dated
10.04.2000 was not accorded to him and therefore, there is
no reason as to why the petition should not be allowed and
the petitioner be granted all the benefits to which he is
entitled to treating him to be a Government Employee.
Accordingly, we allow the petition, quash the order
passed by the leaned Writ Court and direct the respondents
to treat the petitioner to be a Government Employee and
grant him all the benefits accruing to a Government
Employee by virtue of his absorption on 3rd of May, 1997.”
14. This Court has also been apprised that against the
order passed by the learned Division Bench of this Court, the State
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has preferred SLP (Civil) No. 30713 of 2018, which also came to
be dismissed vide order dated 26.04.2019. The State of Bihar and
the other official respondents also filed Civil Review No. 25 of
2020, that also resulted with the same fate vide order dated
14.03.2023.
15. The counter affidavit filed on behalf of the State
does not whisper or refute the contention of the petitioner that the
claim of the petitioner is not similar and identical to the case of
Nathu Ansari (supra), who has been allowed all the retiral
benefits, including the death-cum-retiral gratuity. The issue with
respect to the identically situated person has already been settled
by the learned Division Bench of this Court; duly affirmed by the
Hon’ble Supreme Court and as such, the submission of the State
counsel that the ratio of Nathu Ansari (supra), may not be
applicable in the case of the petitioner because the regularization
of the petitioner was done after the Service Rule, 2000 but, while
making such submission, the State counsel did not take the fact
into consideration that only by considering his past service, the
benefits under ACP/MACP was granted.
16. Taking into account the submissions made by the
learned counsel for the parties and having gone through the
judgments rendered by the Hon’ble Division Bench, as also by the
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Co-ordinate Bench, and upon having given anxious consideration,
by looking to the factual aspect and as also the materials available
on record, the stand of the State is not accepted for the simple
reason that the issue which is being raised before this Court, has
already been considered by the Hon’ble Division Bench in the case
of Nathu Ansari (supra), whereby, the benefits of absorption has
been recognized, and accordingly, this Court holds that the benefit
of absorption from its effective date of 01.07.1988, cannot be
taken away from the petitioner, as the service from the date of
initial appointment has also been recognized by them for granting
benefits of ACP and MACP. From the records, it also appears that
the order passed by the learned Division Bench was also tested
against which the State has preferred SLP (Civil) No. 30713 of
2018, which also came to be dismissed vide order dated
26.04.2019 and further Civil Review No. 25 of 2020, which was
preferred by the State Government, has also met with the same fate
vide order dated 14.03.2023.
17. Since the issues, which are required to be looked
into for adjudicating the claim of the petitioner, has already been
put at rest at the level of Hon’ble Apex Court and, as such, this
Court has no reason to take a divergent view but, to direct
consideration of his case in similar terms and, accordingly, this
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Court directs that the petitioner’s case be also considered in terms
of Clause 4(C) of Bihar State Litigation Policy, 2011, as his case is
also covered by the judgment of Hon’ble Division Bench rendered
in the case of Nathu Ansari (supra), which has attained finality
and, accordingly, the respondents are directed to proceed to
adjudicate the claim and pay all the consequential benefits at par
with the similarly situated persons, referred above, by passing a
reasoned and a speaking order, within a period of twelve weeks
from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
18. With the aforementioned observations and direction,
the writ petition stands disposed of.
(Ajit Kumar, J)
rishi/-
AFR/NAFR NAFR
CAV DATE N/A
Uploading Date 10.02.2026
Transmission Date N/A
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