Competent authority must decide pending representations via reasoned and speaking orders within a stipulated period.

Thirty applicants filed an Original Application seeking absorption into the post of Parcel Porters in the Northern Railway, based on a verification report submitted by the Assistant Labour Commissioner dated February 29, 2000.

The applicants had previously submitted representations to the respondent authorities on September 24, 2025, regarding their grievances, which remained pending without any consideration or final orders.

During the hearing, the applicants limited their prayer to seeking a direction for the timely disposal of these pending representations.

1. Whether the respondent authorities should be directed to decide the pending representations of the applicants within a stipulated timeframe.

2. Whether the applicants are entitled to a reasoned and speaking order regarding their claim for absorption as Parcel Porters.

The Tribunal exercised its jurisdiction under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.

It applied the administrative law principle that public authorities are duty-bound to consider representations and pass "reasoned and speaking orders" to ensure transparency and compliance with the principles of natural justice.

The Tribunal noted that the representations dated September 24, 2025, had been pending before the respondents for a significant period without any decision.

The applicants’ counsel submitted that the applicants would be satisfied if the competent authority was directed to dispose of the said representations through a reasoned order.

The respondents’ counsel raised no objection to this limited prayer.

Consequently, the Tribunal found it appropriate to direct the respondents to act without delving into the substantive merits of the applicants' claim for absorption.

This procedural direction ensures that the administrative process is exhausted before the court intervenes on the merits of the dispute.

It directed the competent authority among the respondents to decide the pending representations dated September 24, 2025, by passing a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with the law.

The order must be communicated to the applicants within one month from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the judgment.

No order was made as to costs.