JUDGMENT

1. This writ petition has been filed by the petitioner to quash the appointment order of the fifth respondent as Research Officer dated 13.7.2016 and also the regular appointment issued dated 24.12.2016 as Administrative Officer-cum-Research Officer under the Tribal Research Institute, Manipur.

2. The case of the petitioner is that on 18.12.2015, an advertisement was issued for appointment to the post of Research Officer in the Tribal Research Institute (for short, 'TRI') on contract basis for the pay scale of Rs.13,700/- per month. Pursuant to the said advertisement, 15 candidates have appeared in the DPC and the fifth respondent, who is the brother-in-law of the then Director, Tribal Affairs & Hills and Scheduled Caste Department, Manipur was appointed by adopting pick and choose policy and also extended favouritism to him by the third respondent. Pursuant to the engagement order dated 13.7.2016, the fifth respondent has been continuing to work as Research Officer in the TRI. While so, by an order dated 24.12.2016, the Secretariat of Tribal Affairs and Hills Department (TRI) created as many as 10 different posts such as 1 post of Administrative Officer-cum-Research Officer