Reserved Central Administrative Tribunal Jammu Bench, Jammu Hearing through video conferencing Transferred Application No. 61/6083/2021 Pronounced on :- This the 12th day of December 2025 Hon’ble Mr. Rajinder Singh Dogra, Judicial Member Hon’ble Mr. Ram Mohan Johri, Administrative Member

1. Ajay Sharma, Aged 37 years, S/ Girdhari Lal Sharma, R/o Ward No. 09, Bishnah, Tehsil Bishnah, District Samba.

2. Rajeev Dutt, Aged 39 years, S/o Nanak Chand Dutt, R/o Nai Bastri R.S. Pura, Tehsil R.S. Pura, District Jammu.

3. Harbhajan Singh, Aged 42 years, S/o Kripal Singh, R/o Digiana Camp, Jammu.

4. Revti Prashad, Aged 45 years, S/o Babu Ram, R/o Chatha, Tehsil R.S. Pura, District Jammu.

5. Sarabhjeet Singh, Aged 35 years, S/o Pritam Singh, R/o 70 Dogra Hall, Jammu.

...Applicants (Through Advocate: Mr. Anuj Dewan Raina)

Versus

1. State of J&K through Commissioner/Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, Civil Secretariat, Jammu/Srinagar.

2. The Director Agriculture Department, Talab Tillo, Jammu.

…Respondents (Through Advocate: Mr. Rajesh Thapa, A.A.G.)

O R D E R Per:- Rajinder Singh Dogra, Judicial Member The applicant had filed SWP No. 308 of 2018 before the Hon’ble High Court of Jammu & Kashmir seeking the following the reliefs:-

“(i) Issue writ in the nature of certiorari quashing the Agriculture Order No. 102/E of 2016 dated 28.05.2016 to the extent it regularizes the services of the applicants as Village Agriculture Extension Assistants (now renamed as Agriculture Extension Assistant) w.e.f. 01.04.2016 instead to 01.04.2014.

(ii) Issue writ in the nature of Mandamus commanding the respondent authorities to treat the period spent on higher studies/project as part of regular service in the light of judgement rendered by the Hon’ble High Court vide judgement dated 31.12.2014 in SWP No. 2468/2013 titled Dr. Majid Ali Verus State and others.

(iii) Issue Writ of Mandamus commanding the respondents to regularize the petitioner on the basis of their merit i.e. 01.04.2014 i.e in the 1st batch of the candidates regularized as Village Agriculture Extension Assistants (now remained as Agriculture Extension Assistant).”

2. After the reorganization of State of Jammu and Kashmir into Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and in view of the Notification No. G.S.R. 267 (E) dated 29.04.2020 read with notification No. G.S.R. 317 (E) dated 28.05.2020 issued by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions (Department of Personnel and Training), the jurisdiction to adjudicate upon the lis regarding service disputes of the employees of UT of J&K and Ladakh was ARUN 2025.12.17 conferred upon this Tribunal and while considering the said fact, the record of Service Writ Petition No. 308 of 2018 was ordered to be transferred by the Hon’ble High Court to this Tribunal on 09.04.2014 and renumbered as Transferred Application No. 6083 of 2021.

3. The brief facts of the case, as stated in the T.A. are that the applicants, who were unemployed agriculture graduates, were invited for engagement as Rehbar-e-Zirats (REZ) pursuant to Cabinet Order No. 248/14 dated 23.10.2006, under which the REZ Scheme was conceived. Vide Government Order No. 20-Agri of 2007 dated 06.02.2007, sanction was accorded for engagement of all agriculture graduates under the REZ Scheme, and the applicants were accordingly engaged as REZs w.e.f. 01.04.2007 on a monthly stipend of Rs. 1,500/-. It is stated in the T.A. that the applicants worked continuously for more than seven years, following which a process for their regularisation was initiated as per Cabinet Decision No. 139/18/2011 dated 04.08.2011 and Government Order No. 235-Agri of 2011 dated 10.08.2011. It is further stated that under the Regularisation Policy, 2642 posts of Village Agriculture Extension Assistants in the pay band of Rs. 9300-34800 with GP 4200 were deemed created, and regularisation was to be done in three phases upon completion of seven years of continuous and satisfactory ser