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Delhi High Court

Arvind Deo Pandey vs Union Of India & Ors on 19 March, 2026

Author: V. Kameswar Rao

Bench: V. Kameswar Rao, Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora

                          $~121
                          *     IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

                          %                                            Date of Decision : 19.03.2026
                          +     W.P.(C) 972/2026
                                ARVIND DEO PANDEY                                       .....Petitioner
                                             Through:            Ms. Riya Soni and Ms. Mansi
                                                                 Sharma, Advocates.
                                              versus
                                UNION OF INDIA & ORS.                                 .....Respondents
                                              Through:           Mr. Nitinjya Chaudhry, CGSC with
                                                                 Mr. Rahul Mourya, Advocate.
                                                                 Mr Jaswinder Singh, Advocate.

                          CORAM:
                          HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE V. KAMESWAR RAO
                          HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA

                          V. KAMESWAR RAO, J. (ORAL)

1. This petition has been filed by the petitioner with the following prayers:-

"1. Quash or set aside the order dated 08.10.2020 passed by the Hon'ble Central Administrative Tribunal, principal bench, New Delhi in O.A. No. 76 of 2020.

2. Direct the respondents to regularise the services of the petitioner on the post of Faculty-Cum-System Administrator (FCSA), now Computer Teacher (TGT) with all consequential service benefits, including pay parity, seniority and continuity of service

3. Pass any other order as the Hon'ble court may deems fit"

2. The challenge of the petitioner is to the impugned order dated 08.10.2020 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi (Tribunal) in Original Application (OA) No.76/2020.

3. The petitioner approached the Tribunal along with other persons, who according to him, joined the post of Faculty-cum-System Administrator (FCSA) in Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS)/third respondent on the contract basis, which was extended from time to time. The prayer of the petitioner appears to be for regularisation as well.

4. The aforesaid OA was disposed by the Tribunal by stating in paragraphs 5 and 6 as under:-

"5. The necessity for us to deal with the matter in detail is obviated on account of the fact that the applicants are not in service from April, 2020 onwards. We do not intend to go into the reasons. Recently, in the month of September, 2020, an Advertisement was issued to engage the FCSA. As of now, the only relief, that can be granted to the applicants, is that the respondents can be required to consider the cases of the applicants on priority basis, duly taking into account, their past experience, in case they apply in response to the Advertisement.

6. We, therefore, dispose of the OA, leaving it open to the applicants to submit applications in response to the Advertisement. In such an event, the respondents shall consider the cases of the applicants, duly taking into account, the past service rendered by them in the organization."

5. Concedingly, this petition has been filed by the petitioner after a period of almost six years, without any explanation for such an inordinate delay. Even if it is assumed that the other applicants in the said OA decided by the Tribunal have approached this Court, Mr.Jaswinder Singh, learned counsel for the respondents, submits that the petitioner has entered into an agreement for appointment as TGT Computer Science on contract on 20.06.2025, which is subsisting till 30.04.2026. It is the submission of Signature Not Verified Signed By:PRADEEP W.P. (C) 972/2026 Page 2 of 3 SHARMA Signing Date:25.03.2026 10:47:30 Mr.Singh that the scheme under which the petitioner, if at all, has been appointed as FCSA, has ceased to operate in the year 2024.

6. In any case, it is his submission that the contract of FCSA having come to an end, and the petitioner having been appointed as TGT Computer Science, which appointment is subsisting till 30.04.2026, this petition is liable to be dismissed.

7. We agree with the submissions made by Mr.Singh, in as much as, the petitioner had approached the Tribunal seeking regularisation as FCSA and the said OA was dismissed in the year 2020. That apart, as stated by Mr.Singh, the scheme under which the appointments were made as FCSA under the NVS ceased to operate and the petitioner having been appointed afresh as TGT Computer Science, which contract is subsisting, any challenge to the order of the Tribunal, wherein he has sought regularisation, shall be without merit.

8. Hence, the petition is dismissed on both counts - the delay and laches as well as on merit, in the facts of this case.

V. KAMESWAR RAO, J MANMEET PRITAM SINGH ARORA, J MARCH 19, 2026 M Signature Not Verified Signed By:PRADEEP W.P. (C) 972/2026 Page 3 of 3 SHARMA Signing Date:25.03.2026 10:47:30