Direction to dispose of pending representation by passing a reasoned and speaking order within forty-five days.

The applicant, Shri Aman Chaturvedi, filed an Original Application (O.A.) under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, primarily seeking appointment to the post of Assistant Director (Legal) at the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).

He further challenged the appointment of Respondent No. 3 and the placement of Respondent No. 4 on the waiting list under the EWS category.

The applicant had previously submitted a representation dated 05.09.2022 regarding these grievances.

During the proceedings, specifically on 08.01.2026, the applicant’s counsel withdrew the substantive prayers regarding the appointment and quashing of orders (prayers B through H), restricting the O.A. to a request for a direction to the respondents to decide his pending representation.

Whether the respondents should be directed to dispose of the applicant's representation dated 05.09.2022 by passing a reasoned and speaking order.

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

The principle of administrative law which requires authorities to respond to grievances raised in representations through "reasoned and speaking orders" to ensure transparency and adherence to the principles of natural justice.

The Tribunal noted that the applicant had significantly narrowed the scope of the litigation by withdrawing all prayers except the one seeking a direction for the disposal of his representation.

Since the counsel for the respondents did not oppose this limited prayer, the Tribunal found no impediment in granting the request.

The Tribunal deliberately abstained from evaluating the merits of the applicant’s claims regarding the recruitment process to avoid prejudice, focusing instead on the procedural requirement that the executive must decide pending administrative representations in a timely and lawful manner.

The respondents are required to pass a reasoned and speaking order in accordance with the law within forty-five (45) days from the receipt of the certified copy of the order.

The Tribunal clarified that it expressed no opinion on the merits of the case, and no order was made as to costs.