IN THE HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
MANOJ SINGH RAJPUT – Appellant
Versus
STATE OF CHHATTISGARH – Respondent
WPS/9744/2023
##PAGE1##
1
Digitally
signed by
2026:CGHC:6677
SHAYNA
KADRI
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
WPS No. 9744 of 2023
1 - Manoj Singh Rajput S/o Late Ganpat Singh Rajput Aged About 42
Years Rojgar Sahayak At Gram Panchayat, Machandur, Janpad
Panchayat Durg, District : Durg, Chhattisgarh
... Petitioner(s)
versus
1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through- Its Secretary, Panchayat And Rural
Development Department, Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan, Naya
Raipur, District : Raipur, Chhattisgarh
2 - Collector Durg, District : Durg, Chhattisgarh
3 - The Chief Executive Officer Durg, District : Durg, Chhattisgarh
4 - The Chief Executive Officer, Janpad Panchayat Durg, District : Durg,
Chhattisgarh
5 - The Secretary Village Panchayat Machandur, Janpad Panchayat
Durg, District : Durg, Chhattisgarh
... Respondent(s)
(Cause-title is taken from Case Information System)
For Petitioner : Mr. A. S. Rajput, Advocate
For State : Mr. Ashutosh Shukla, Panel Lawyer
For Resp. No. 4 : Ms. Pranoti Das, Advocate holding brief on
behalf of Mr. Goutam Khetrapal, Advocate
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SB- Hon'ble Shri Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad
Order on Board
05/02/2026
1. The present writ petition is being filed seeking following reliefs:-
“10.1 That, this Hon'ble court may kindly be pleased
to issue a suitable writ or writs for quashing /
set aside the order dated 13.12.23 (Annexure
P-3) passed by respondent no. 4 Chief
Executive Officer, Janpad Panchayat Durg,
District (C.G.). Durg
10.2 Any other relief / reliefs which may deem fit
and proper in the facts and circumstances of
the case, may also be allowed.”
2. The facts of the case, in brief, are that the petitioner was initially
appointed on the post of Rojgar Sahayak on contractual basis by
the respondent No. 4 vide appointment order dated 19.12.2019,
and thereafter his services were extended from time to time
without any break, lastly up to 12.12.2023, in recognition of his
satisfactory performance and continued requirement of his
services. A copy of the appointment order dated 19.12.2019 has
been filed and marked as Annexure P-1. During the course of his
engagement, certain allegations regarding alleged irregularities
under the MGNREGA Scheme were levelled against the
Sarpanch of Gram Panchayat Machandur as well as the
petitioner. Pursuant thereto, an Enquiry Committee was duly
constituted by the competent authority to enquire into the said
allegations. After conducting a detailed enquiry, the Enquiry
Committee submitted its report, categorically holding that the
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allegations levelled against the petitioner were baseless and false,
and no irregularity was found attributable to him. Despite the
aforesaid exoneration and without issuing any show-cause notice
or affording any opportunity of hearing to the petitioner, the
respondent No. 4 abruptly passed the impugned order dated
13.12.2023 removing the petitioner from the post of Rojgar
Sahayak, thereby violating the principles of natural justice and
acting in an arbitrary and illegal manner. Being aggrieved by the
said arbitrary action, the petitioner has been constrained to invoke
the extraordinary jurisdiction of this Court by filing the present
petition.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the impugned
order dated 13.12.2023 passed by respondent No. 4 is wholly
illegal, arbitrary and contrary to the settled principles of law. It is
contended that the said order has been passed without issuing
any show-cause notice and without affording any opportunity of
hearing to the petitioner, thereby resulting in a gross violation of
the principles of natural justice. Learned counsel further submits
that the very foundation of the impugned order is vitiated
inasmuch as the reason assigned therein alleges that the Enquiry
Committee found the petitioner guilty, whereas a bare perusal of
the enquiry report clearly reveals that the allegations levelled
against the petitioner were found to be baseless and false, and no
adverse finding whatsoever was recorded against him. The
enquiry report, which has already been brought on record as
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