Joint application withdrawn with liberty to file separate petitions for distinct categories of employees.

Twenty-five applicants, representing diverse job designations including Nursing Officers, Accountants, Data Entry Operators, Ward Attendants, and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS), filed a joint Original Application (OA) against the Ministry of Ayush and the National Institute of Unani Medicine.

During the proceedings on April 16, 2026, the counsel for the applicants presented arguments but subsequently sought the Tribunal's permission to withdraw the current OA.

This request was made to enable the filing of separate OAs tailored to each specific category of employees involved in the litigation.

1. Whether the applicants may be permitted to withdraw the joint Original Application with liberty to file fresh, separate applications for each distinct category of employees.

The Tribunal applied procedural principles governing the withdrawal of applications under the Central Administrative Tribunal (Procedure) Rules, 1987.

It recognized the principle of dominus litis, which allows a petitioner to withdraw a suit, and the discretionary power of the court to grant "liberty" to refile to avoid the bar of res judicata or procedural technicalities related to the misjoinder of parties and causes of action.

The court observed that the applicants held significantly different roles and categories of employment, ranging from professional nursing staff to manual staff like Ward Attendants and Massagers.

During the hearing, the applicants' counsel determined that the diverse nature of these roles necessitated separate legal challenges rather than a single omnibus petition.

The Tribunal accepted this procedural strategy, noting that the counsel sought withdrawal only after arguing for some time.

By granting liberty to file separate OAs, the Tribunal ensured that the merits of each category’s grievances could be adjudicated independently without the procedural complications of a multi-category joint filing.

The Original Application (OA No. 1411/2026) was dismissed as withdrawn, with explicit liberty granted to the applicants to file separate OAs for each category of employees.

All pending Miscellaneous Applications (MAs) were disposed of accordingly, and no orders were made as to costs.