The special review petition filed by the state government in the Supreme Court regarding Upanal employees has been rejected. The government had filed the petition against the High Court’s decision of Kundan Singh vs State Government, in which the High Court had directed the government to make rules for regularizing Upanal employees and till then give them equal pay for equal work. With the rejection of the petition, the hope of regularization has become stronger among about 25 thousand Upanal employees working in various departments of the state. The government is now getting the decision of the Supreme Court legally tested.
Working in departments for more than 10 years
At present, employees are deployed in various departments in the state through Upanal (Uttarakhand Ex-Serviceman Welfare Corporation Limited). These employees are providing their services in relation to the vacant posts of security guards, attendants, lab technicians, computer operators, clerks and officers. Many of these employees have been working in the departments for more than 10 years. Some Upanal employees had filed a petition in the High Court demanding regularization. While hearing two such petitions in the year 2018, the High Court had directed the state government to make rules to regularize the petitioner Upanal employees and till then provide them equal pay for equal work. A time limit was also fixed for this. The state government appealed against the decision in the double bench of the High Court, but it was rejected. On this, the government knocked the door of the Supreme Court. On Tuesday, the bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Prasanna B Varale in the Supreme Court, while hearing the matter, rejected the petition of the state government. It has been clarified that the appointments of Upanal employees have been made relative to the approved vacant posts. Employees have been working on these posts for more than 10 years. All personnel are fulfilling the minimum qualification. Also, the government has made rules to regularize those who have served for 10 years.
