A party must be given adequate opportunity to present their case in administrative proceedings; failure to do so violates principles of natural justice and invalidates subsequent orders.

Judgment :

A.C. Behera, J.

This writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, 1950 has been filed by the petitioner praying for quashing the impugned Orders under Annexures-7, 10 and 11 passed by the Opposite Party Nos.3, 4 and 1 respectively and to direct the Opposite Party No.1 to re-engage the petitioner as an Anganwadi Helper in Sagarpalli Anganwadi Centre under Kamsara Grampanchayat of Sonepur District awarding exemplary cost and damages against the Opposite Party No.2.

2. The factual backgrounds of this writ petition, which prompted the petitioner for filing of the same is that, as per Advertisement No.2148 dated 21.10.2024 made by the Child Development Project Officer, Tarbha(Opposite Party No.1) (in short “the CDPO”) for the selection of an Anganwadi Helper of Sagarpalli Anganwadi Centre under Kamsara Grampanchayat of Sonepur District, the petitioner, Opposite Party No.2 along with others applied for the same. Thereafter, the Selection Committee Members selected to the petitioner as Anganwadi Helper of that Sagarpalli Anganwadi Centre and then, she(petitioner) was appointed as per letter dated 05.03.2025(Annexure-3) of the CDPO, Tarbha, as the Anganwadi Helper of Sagarpalli Anganwadi Centre and continued her work as such since 05.03.2025.

The Opposite Party No.2 challenged to the above selection and appointment of the petitioner by filing an Anganwadi Helper Appeal No.8 of 2025 before the Sub- collector, Sonepur(Opposite Party No.3) impleading the CDPO, Tarbha and the petitioner as her opponents.

As per final order dated 11.04.2025(Annexure-7) passed in that Anganwadi Helper Appeal No.8 of 2025, the Sub-collector, Sonepur(Opposite Party No.3) allowed that Anganwadi Helper Appeal No.8 of 2025 of the Opposite Party No.2 and directed to the CDPO, Tarbha(Opposite Party No.1) to cancel the engagement of the petitioner and to issue a fresh engagement order in favour of the Opposite Party No.2 as the Anganwadi Helper of that Sagarpalli Anganwadi Centre immediately.

3. On the basis of the order dated 11.04.2025(Annexure- 7) passed in Anganwadi Helper Appeal No.8 of 2025, the CDPO, Tarbha(Opposite Party No.1) issued a letter No.882 dated 08.05.2025 vide Annexure-11 to the petitioner disengaging her from the Anganwadi Helper of Sagarpalli Anganwadi Centre.

4. To which, the petitioner challenged by filing Anganwadi Helper 2nd Appeal No.4 of 2025 before the Additional District Magistrate, Subarnapur (Opposite Party No.4) being the appellant against the Opposite Party No.2 and CDPO, Tarbha(Opposite Party No.1) arraying them as respondents.

5. As per the final order dated 31.10.2025(Annexure-10) passed in Anganwadi Helper 2^nd Appeal No.4 of 2025, the Additional District Magistrate, Subarnapur (Opposite Party No.4) dismissed that Anganwadi Helper 2nd Appeal No.4 of 2025 of the petitioner.

For which, the petitioner challenged both the above impugned orders vide Annexures-7 and 10 passed by the Opposite Party Nos.3 and 4 as well as to the letter of disengagement of the petitioner vide Annexure-11 issued by the Opposite Party No.1 by filing this writ petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India, 1950 being the petitioner against the Opposite Parties praying for quashing the above Anenxures-7, 10 and 11 respectively on the ground that, the impugned order dated 11.04.2025 passed in Anganwadi Helper Appeal No.8 of 2025 by the Sub-collector, Subarnapur (Opposite Party No.3) vide Annexure-7 was in gross violation of the principles of natural justice without giving a