17.02.2026
[1] Heard Mr. HS Paonam, learned sr. counsel assisted by Mr. S.
Gunabanta, learned counsel for the petitioners.
[2] By the present petition, the 4(four) petitioners who have been
appointed vide order dated 06.01.2022 issued by Joint Secretary to the Govt. of
Manipur as (i) Election Officer in the pay band of Rs. 9,300-348000-4400/- +
Grade Pay Rs. 4400/- notionally from 04.03.2013 (i.e. the date of appointment
of Mr. L.M. Singsit as EO) till 30.08.2019 & (ii) Under Secretaries to the Govt. of
Manipur in the Manipur Civil Service Grade-II in the pay band Rs. 9,300-34800
+ Grade Pay of Rs. 5400 notionally from 30.08.2019 (i.e. the date on which Mr.
L.M. Singsit was promoted to MCS Grade-II). It is stated that the 4 petitioners
will be above Mr. L.M. Singsit in the seniority list of MCS Grade-II Officers. It is
also stated that the order dated 06.01.2022 has been challenged by private
respondent nos. 8 to 17 herein in W.P. (C) No. 854 of 2024 and vide order dated
18.12.2024, this Court observed that while preparing the final seniority list of the
tentative seniority list dated 10.02.2022 of MCS Officers, the position of the
officers shall be considered strictly in terms of the principle in “K. Megachandra
Singh vs. Ningam Siro” reported as ‘(2020) 5 SCC 689, para 28’.
Thereafter, another tentative seniority list dated 07.01.2026 has been issued by
Joint Secretary (DP), Govt. of Manipur for MCS Grade-II. In the said tentative
list, the petitioners herein are placed in serial nos. 39 to 42, Mr. L.M. Singsit is
at serial no. 43 and respondent nos. 8 to 17 are from serial nos. 47 to 56.
However, one of the petitioners i.e. petitioner no. 2 submitted a detailed
representation dated 22.01.2026 to the Joint Secretary (DP), Govt. of Manipur
for justifying their placement at serial nos. 39-42. But, in the final seniority list
dated 04.02.2026 issued by the Joint Secretary (DP), Govt. of Manipur, the
positions of the petitioners have been pushed down from serial nos. 39-42 to 59-
62 and Mr. L.M. Singsit has placed at serial no. 41 and private respondent nos.
8 to 17 are placed above the petitioners from serial nos. 43 to 52 thereby,
upgrading their positions from serial nos. 47 to 56 in the tentative seniority list.
