IN THE HIGH COURT OF MADHYA PRADESH AT INDORE BEFORE HON'BLE SHRI JUSTICE JAI KUMAR PILLAI ON THE 28^TH OF JANUARY, 2026 WRIT PETITION No. 5807 of 2019 DURGAPRASAD & THREE OTHERS Versus THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS Appearance:

Shri L. C. Patne - Advocate for the petitioners.

Shri Pradyumna Kibe –G.A for the respondents/State.

WRIT PETITION No. 7554 of 2019 RAMPRASAD CARPENTAR Versus THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS Appearance:

Shri Lokesh Kumar Bhatnagar - Advocate for the petitioner.

Shri Pradyumna Kibe – G.A for the respondents/State.

WRIT PETITION No. 7558 of 2019 BALCHAND SINGHWAL Versus THE STATE OF MADHYA PRADESH AND OTHERS Appearance:

Shri Lokesh Kumar Bhatnagar - Advocate for the petitioner.

Shri Pradyumna Kibe – G.A for the respondents/State.

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ORDER

These are a bunch of writ petitions filed by the petitioners under Article 226 of the Constitution of India challenging the common order/letter dated 02/03/2019 and 19/03/2019 issued by respondent directing that the services of persons appointed on contractual basis as Technical Assistants under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (hereinafter referred to as “MNREGS/MNREGA”) shall not be continued after 28/02/2019, pursuant to which consequential steps have been taken by the authorities for discontinuance of the petitioners from service.

2. Since the facts involved in all these writ petitions are similar and the questions of law raised are identical, they were heard together and are being decided analogously by this common order. As the facts involved in all the writ petitions are identical, the pleadings and annexures filed in W.P. No. 5807/2019 are treated as the lead case and are taken into consideration for adjudication of the entire bunch of writ petitions.

3. The facts of the case, briefly stated, are that under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Madhya Pradesh a process was initiated for appointment of Technical Assistants on contractual basis by issuance of notification inviting applications thereafter vide letter No. 2504 dated 10/05/2010, the Directorate of Training, Madhya Pradesh, directed the concerned authorities, including the Principal, Industrial Training Institute, Khilchipur, to make appointments to the post of Technical Assistant on contractual basis under MNREGS. Pursuant thereto, applications were invited in the prescribed format, interviews were conducted, and eligible candidates were selected and appointed as Technical Assistants on contractual basis by order dated 24/06/2010.

4. Prior to issuance of the appointment orders, correspondence was made by the competent authority, which is placed on record as Annexure P/5. During the course of their engagement, the petitioners were assigned various duties, including election-related duties, under different orders. The petitioners continued to work as Technical Assistants under MNREGS pursuant to extensions granted from time to time. On 02/03/2019 and 19/03/2019, respondent authority issued a letter/order directing that persons working on contractual basis under MNREGS shall not be continued after 28/02/2019. In compliance of the aforesaid order, the subordinate authorities initiated proceedings to discontinue the services of the petitioners. Aggrieved by the issuance of the order dated 02/03/2019 and 19/03/2019 and the consequential action taken thereunder, the petitioners have approached this Court by filing the present batch of writ petitions.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that the impugned orders dated 02/03/2019 and 19/03/2019 are illegal, arbitrary, and contrary to the settled principles of law, and infringes the constitutional rights of the petitioners. It is contended that the petitioners were appointed to the post of Technical Assistant after following due procedure, including issuance of notification, interview, and selection, and have continuously r