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2026 Supreme(Gau) 592

THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
SHAMIMA JAHAN, J.
The State Of Assam Represented By Smt. Ranjana Barua, Secy. To The Govt. Of Assam, Revenue And Disaster Management Deptt. - Petitioner
Versus
Sri Dimbeswar Barua, S/o Champaram Barua And  Ors. - Respondents
Review.Pet./156 of 2017
Decided On : 12-05-2026

Advocates Appeared:
For the Petitioner: Mr. D Mazumdar, Sr. Adv/State Counsel
For the Respondent: Mr. D Das, Sr. Adv. Mr S Das.

Review jurisdiction is limited to correcting errors manifest on the face of the record or considering newly discovered evidence. It cannot be used as an appeal in disguise to re-argue merits or correct errors that require a complex process of reasoning to identify.

Headnote:(A) Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 - Order XLVII Rule 1 - Review jurisdiction - Scope and ambit - Review is not an appeal in disguise - Error must be manifest on the face of the record - Error requiring deep study or process of reasoning is not an error apparent - Discovery of new evidence requires that such evidence was not within knowledge of the party despite due diligence. (Paras 15, 17, 20, 21, 24)

(B) Service Law - Pension - Applicability of pension schemes - Selection process initiated prior to implementation of new scheme - Delay in appointment not attributable to candidates - Entitlement to benefits under existing rules at the time of selection. (Paras 7, 13, 27)

Facts of the case:
The petitioners were selected for government posts following an advertisement issued in 1998. Due to a ban on appointments, their induction was delayed until 2005. The state sought to apply a new pension scheme introduced in 2005, while the petitioners claimed entitlement to the old pension scheme applicable at the time of their selection. The court previously ruled in favor of the petitioners. The state filed a review petition, contending that the court failed to consider the non-availability of vacancies and relied on overruled precedents.

Findings of Court:
The court found that the documents relied upon by the state were already part of the record during the original proceedings. The state failed to demonstrate any "error apparent on the face of the record" or the discovery of new evidence that could not have been produced earlier. The court reiterated that review jurisdiction is strictly confined to the parameters of the relevant procedural rule and cannot be used to re-argue the merits of the case.

Issues: Whether the review petition satisfies the criteria for "error apparent on the face of the record" or "discovery of new evidence" under the procedural code, and whether the previous judgment warrants interference.

Ratio Decidendi: A review petition is not an appeal in disguise. An error must be self-evident and manifest on the face of the record to justify review. If an error requires a process of reasoning or a deep study of materials to be detected, it does not fall within the scope of review jurisdiction. Furthermore, evidence that was already available on the record cannot be treated as "newly discovered" evidence.

Result: Review petition dismissed.

Table of Content
1. historical context of selection, pension scheme applicability, and judicial dispute background. (Para 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8)
2. assessment of maintainability of a review petition based on discovery of new facts versus re-argument of merits. (Para 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14)
3. legal criteria defining error apparent on the face of the record for review jurisdiction. (Para 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25)
4. evaluation of merit regarding pension entitlements and final rejection of the review petition. (Para 26 , 27 , 28 , 29)

JUDGMENT :

SHAMIMA JAHAN, J.

Heard Mr. D Mazumdar, learned Senior State Counsel assisted by Ms. S. Nath for the review petitioner and Mr D Das, learned Senior Counsel, assisted by Mr S Das, learned counsel for the respondent Nos. 1 to 5.

2. This application was filed under Order XLVII Rule 1 of the CPC, 1908, seeking review of the order dated 21.07.2014, passed in WP(C) No. 5072/2007. Before going into the facts narrated in the review petition as well as the law, this Court would like to narrate the detail facts involved in the said case.

FACTS:

3. It is the case of the petitioners in WP(C) No. 5066 of 2016 that an advertisement was issued on 18.09.1998, calling for applications from the intending candidates, who had passed the Assam Survey Training Examination, for filling up the post of Mandals, lying vacant in the amalgamated establishment of the office of the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang. In pursuance to the said advertisement, the selection process started and the select list of 38 candidates was prepared on 19.06.1999, wherein the petitioners appeared at Serial No. 29, 31 to 35. It is stated by the learned counsels that the candidates appearing at Serial No. 32 as well as 35 had expired, however, pursuant to the said select list, 23 candidates were appointed and the petitioners were not appointed in the said post. Aggrieved thereby, the petitioners filed a writ petition being WP(C) No. 9294 of 2004 and the said case was disposed of in the motion stage itself on the consent of the learned counsel for all the parties vide order dated 17.12.2004. During the proceeding the learned counsel for the State submitted that the petitioners could not be appointed due to a ban imposed for appointments and that they will be appointed once the ban is over and on the said submission, this Court gave a direction to the Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, Revenue Department, to appoint the petitioners in accordance with law and the said writ petition was disposed of.

4. Against the said order dated 17.12.2004, a review application was filed by the petitioner, praying therein that the appointing authority is not the Commissioner and Secretary to the Government of Assam, Revenue Department, but the direction is required to be made to the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang, Mangaldoi, to appoint the petitioners in the vacant post of Mandal. The petitioners filed a review application, since they came to know about the said fact after the aforesaid writ petition was disposed of. In view of the said submissions, this Court had reviewed the order and directed the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang District, to appoint the petitioners in the vacant post of Mandal, after getting approval from the Government and also immediately after the ban of appointment gets lifted. The said review application was disposed of on 31.05.2005.

5. Pursuant to the said order, an office order was issued by the Deputy Commissioner, Darrang, Mangaldoi, on 21st of December, 2005, by which the petitioners were appointed. It was stipulated in the said order that the petitioners Nos. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were appointed against the existing vacancy and the petitioner No. 2 was appointed in place of an employee, who had retired. The said order also reflects that appointments were made in pursuance to the approval of the Governor of Assam dated 09.12.2005, with further stipulation that the petitioners were appointed as they appe

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