Reinstatement ordered without back wages but with continuity of seniority from initial date of appointment.

The State of Chhattisgarh (Appellants) challenged an order dated 10.12.2025 passed by a learned Single Judge in WPS No. 11883 of 2025

The Single Judge had allowed the writ petition filed by Mohd. Yunus Khan (Respondent No. 1), who was working as a Peon in the Municipal Corporation, Bilaspur, quashing the impugned orders against him and directing his reinstatement

The Appellants filed the present intra-court appeal with a 17-day delay, supported by an application for condonation of delay (I.A. No. 1 of 2026)

Whether the delay of 17 days in filing the writ appeal should be condoned.

Whether the learned Single Judge's order directing reinstatement of the respondent without back wages, but with seniority, was legally sustainable in light of previous division bench precedents.

The Court applied the doctrine of *stare decisis* and the principle of parity in judicial adjudication.

It specifically relied on the precedent set by the same Division Bench in `WA No. 184 of 2026 (State of Chhattisgarh & Another vs. Smt. Neeta Thakur & Another)` decided on 25.02.2026

That precedent established that where a Single Judge quashes termination orders and directs reinstatement without back wages but with continuity of service (seniority), such orders do not suffer from illegality or irregularity warranting interference under intra-court appellate jurisdiction

The Court first addressed the procedural delay and, upon "due consideration," condoned the 17-day lapse

Regarding the merits, the Court noted that both the State and the Respondents conceded that the facts and legal issues in this matter were "identical" to a previously decided case, `WA No. 184 of 2026`

In the referenced case, the Court had upheld a Single Judge’s order that quashed termination based on the precedent of `Jaichand Sarthi (WPS No. 12389 of 2025)`

The Court observed that since the issues regarding the reinstatement of a Peon with seniority benefits (but no back wages) were resolved in the earlier identical appeal, there was no reason to deviate from that view

On the merits, the Court held that the appeal was devoid of merit as the issues were squarely covered by the decision in `WA No. 184 of 2026`

The appeal was dismissed, affirming the Single Judge’s order directing the reinstatement of Mohd. Yunus Khan as a Peon with seniority reckoned from his initial date of appointment, but without back wages