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2026 Supreme(Online)(CAT) 8439
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL GUWAHATI BENCH
Rajinder Singh Dogra, J, Sanjiv Kumar, Administrative Member
Shri Mayanglambam Sanayima Singh – Appellant
Versus
M/o Information And Broadcasting – Respondent
Original Application No. 040/00001/2020|O.A. No. 01/2020
For the Appellants/Petitioners: Adil Ahmed
For the Respondents: R. Hazarika
Settled seniority cannot be reopened or unsettled after an inordinate delay (e.g., 25 years) if the aggrieved party remained quiescent without providing a satisfactory explanation for the delay.
Headnote:The applicant, an Upper Division Clerk in All India Radio, challenged the inter-se seniority and sought promotional benefits, contending that his seniority should be determined by his higher rank (18th) in the Staff Selection Commission Examination 1988 compared to the private respondent (26th), despite joining service later in 1991. The respondents maintained that seniority was fixed based on the date of joining as per prevailing instructions of the Director General, All India Radio, until 1997. The primary issue was whether a settled seniority list could be reopened after a significant delay based on the merit rank of the selection process. The court reasoned that matters of seniority, once settled, should not be reopened after a lapse of many years at the instance of a party who remained quiescent during the intervening period, citing that settled seniority cannot be unsettled after an inordinate delay without a cogent explanation. the instant OA does not merit and interference and accordingly dismissed on the point of delay and latches.
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. dispute over seniority based on ssc merit rank versus actual date of joining. (Para 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5) |
| 2. competing arguments on the applicability of merit-based seniority versus the doctrine of laches. (Para 6 , 7 , 8) |
| 3. settled seniority cannot be reopened after an inordinate delay without satisfactory explanation. (Para 9 , 10 , 11 , 12) |
##PAGE1##
1
CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL
GUWAHATI BENCH
Original Application No. 040/00001/2020
HON’BLE MR. RAJINDER SINGH DOGRA, JUDICIAL MEMBER
HON’BLE MR. SANJIV KUMAR, ADMINISTRATIVE MEMBER
Shri Mayanglambam Sanayaima Singh, Son of Late M. Ibobi
Singh Upper Division Clerk Office of the Executive Engineer
(Electrical), Civil Construction Wing, All India Radio,
Chandmari Radio Complex, Guwahati, PIN-781003.
…Applicant
By Advocates: Shri Adil Ahmed
- Versus -
1. The Union of India, Represented by the Secretary to the
Government of India, All India Radio, Ministry of Information &
Broadcasting, New Delhi, PIN-110001.
2. The Director General All India Radio, Akashvani Bhawan,
Parliament Street, New Delhi, PIN-110001.
3. The Deputy Director General (E) All India Radio, Chandmari
Guwahati, Pin-781003.
4. Shri Shamuri Lakpam Arun Kumar Sharma, Upper Division
Clerk, All India Radio-798601, P.O Mokokchung, Pin-798617
Nagaland.
…Respondents
By Advocates: Shri R. Hazarika, Addl. CGSC
For Respondent Nos. 1 to 3
Date of Hearing: 19.05.2026 Date of Order: 26.05.2026
PRASANNA Digitaly signed by
BASUMATARYP BR ASA USA MN AN TA
A RY O.A. No.01/2020
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ORDER
PER MR. RAJINDER SINGH DOGRA, MEMBER (J):
The instant O.A. has been preferred by the
applicant seeking the following relief(s):
“8.1 ************************************************.
8.2 To direct the Official Respondents to refix the
inter-se-seniority of the applicant in the rank of the
Upper Division Clerk, All India Radio above to the
private respondent No. 4 who is the Junior to the
applicant in the rank list of Staff Selection
Commission Examination.
8.3 To direct the Official Respondents to give the
promotional benefit and other financial along
with consequential service benefit retrospectively
to the applicant from the date of his junior i.e.
private respondent No. 4 promotion to the post of
UDC from the grade of LDC.
8.4 To pass any other appropriate order (s) as to
may deem fit and proper in the facts and
circumstances of the case.
8.5 Cost of the application.
8.6 Any other relief (s) that may be entitled to the
Applicant.”
2. The applicant belongs from Schedule Caste
Community of the State of Manipur. Presently, he is working as
Upper Division Clerk in AIR. He has appeared in the Staff
Selection Commission Examination Year 1988 to the Post of
Lower Division Clerk from Imphal Centre and secured rank of
PRASANNA Digitaly signed by
BASUMATARYP BR ASA USA MN AN TA
A RY O.A. No.01/2020
##PAGE3##3
18th position. The Private Respondent No.4 belongs to
General Category (UR) from the State of Manipur has also
appeared in the Staff Selection Commission Examination year
1988 to the Post of Lower Division Clerk from Imphal Centre
and secured rank of 26th position. However, the Official
Respondents had issued offer of appointment to the Private
Respondent No.4 in early part of year 1990 and accordingly
he has joined on LDC in All India Radio in 19.03.1990. The
Official Respondents had issued the offer of appointment to
the Applicant only in the year 1991 and joined on 17.05.1991
though his rank in the LDC Examination conducted by Staff
Selection Commission year 1988 is higher than the Private
Respondent No.4. The reason behind for delay in offering
appointment of the Applicant by the officer Respondents is
not known to him till date. Private Respondent No.4 was
promoted to the post of UDC on 16.01.1996 and Applicant
was promoted to the post of UDC only on 31.03.2000 and he
joined on 26.04.2000 as UDC in All India Radio. Private
Respondent No.4 name appeared in the Seniority list above
to the Applicant the Seniority list of UDC. Applicant has
submitted representations through proper channel before the
PRA
