Dismissal of application involving issues identical to a previously adjudicated and dismissed batch matter.

The applicants (110 individuals) filed an Original Application (OA) against the Union of India, through the Ministry of Finance (CBDT) and the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

This matter was part of a batch of cases involving identical legal issues, the lead case being Vivek Kumar Khichar v. Ministry of Finance (OA No. 1273/2025).

The present OA was de-tagged from the main batch on February 11, 2026.

On the final hearing date of April 7, 2026, no representative appeared for the applicants even after two calls.

Meanwhile, the lead case (OA No. 1273/2025) had already been dismissed by the same Bench on March 24, 2026.

Whether the Tribunal should adopt a different view in the present matter from the one already taken in the identical lead case of Vivek Kumar Khichar v. Ministry of Finance.

The court primarily relied on the principle of judicial consistency and the precedent set in its own prior judgment.

It specifically applied the ruling from Vivek Kumar Khichar v. Ministry of Finance, Department of Revenue (OA No. 1273/2025), which addressed identical grievances against the Central Board of Direct Taxes and the Staff Selection Commission.

The Tribunal observed that the applicants failed to appear to prosecute the matter or contest the findings.

The respondents’ counsel argued that the factual and legal matrix of this OA was identical to the batch matters already adjudicated.

The Bench noted that since the lead case (OA No. 1273/2025) had been dismissed on its merits by a Bench involving the same Member (Judicial), and because no new arguments were presented to distinguish the present case, there was no legal justification to deviate from the prior decision.

Consequently, all pending Miscellaneous Applications (MAs) were disposed of, and no order as to costs was made.