Chhattisgarh High Court

Court affirms reinstatement with seniority and service continuity while denying entitlement to back wages.

STATE OF CHHATTISGARH vs NILESH SHRIVAS

Chhattisgarh High CourtJUDGMENT: March 24, 20262 MIN READSOURCE JUDGMENT
THE ORIGINAL LAWLENS SUMMARY
01

Facts

The Appellants (State of Chhattisgarh) filed a writ appeal challenging the order dated 10.12.2025 passed by a Single Judge in WPS No. 11229/2025

Source reference: p. 2, para 4

The Single Judge had allowed the writ petition filed by Respondent No. 1, quashing the impugned orders and directing his reinstatement to the post of Peon

Source reference: p. 2-3, para 5

While the Single Judge denied back wages, it directed that the respondent’s seniority be reckoned from the initial date of appointment without service breaks

Source reference: p. 3, para 5

The appeal was filed with an 11-day delay, which the Division Bench condoned via I.A. No. 01/2026

Source reference: p. 2, para 1-2
02

Issues

1. Whether the Single Judge’s order directing reinstatement and protection of seniority was legally sustainable given the identical nature of facts in prior adjudicated matters

Source reference: p. 3, para 5

2. Whether the current appeal warranted a departure from the view taken by the Division Bench in Writ Appeal No. 184/2026

Source reference: p. 4, para 6
03

Law Applied

The Court primarily applied the principle of judicial consistency and the doctrine of stare decisis regarding identical factual matrices.

Source reference: p. 2-3, para 5

It relied upon its previous judgment in Writ Appeal No. 184/2026 (decided on 25.02.2026), which had affirmed the Single Judge’s reliance on the precedent set in Jaichand Sarthi v. State of Chhattisgarh (WPS No. 12389 of 2025)

Source reference: p. 2-3, para 5
04

Reasoning

The Court noted that both parties conceded that the facts and legal issues involved in the present appeal were identical to those decided in Writ Appeal No. 184/2026

Source reference: p. 3, para 5

In that preceding case, the Division Bench had already scrutinized the Single Judge’s reasoning and concluded that there was no illegality or irregularity in quashing the termination orders and directing reinstatement with seniority

Source reference: p. 3, para 5

Upon reviewing the materials on record, the Court determined that since the issues were indistinguishable from the earlier case, there was no justification to adopt a different legal view

Source reference: p. 4, para 6
05

Holding

The High Court dismissed the writ appeal, holding it to be devoid of merit

The Court affirmed the Single Judge’s order in terms of the judgment dated 25.02.2026 passed in Writ Appeal No. 184/2026, thereby upholding the respondent's reinstatement and seniority benefits without back wages

Source reference: p. 4, para 7

No costs were awarded

Source reference: p. 3, para 5
Chhattisgarh High Court

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STATE OF CHHATTISGARHvsNILESH SHRIVAS

Chhattisgarh High Court · March 24, 2026

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