U. NARAYAN SHARMA Vs. THE STATE OF SIKKIM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The Petitioners are presently serving as Lower Division Clerks (in short 'LDCs') in different departments under the Respondent No.1. Initially, they were appointed as Fieldmen/Field Assistants in the Department of Agriculture, Government of Sikkim which was later bifurcated as Horticulture & Cash Crop Development Department and Food Security & Agriculture Development Department, Government of Sikkim, Respondents No.2 and 3 respectively.

(2.) It is submitted that the Petitioners had successfully undergone training in different fields and having put in requisite number of years of service they were eligible for promotion to the posts of Village Level Workers (in short "VLWs").

(3.) Mr. Jorgay Namkha, Learned Advocate, appearing on behalf of the Petitioners, submits that as per the practice prevalent in the department the next promotion for a person holding the post of Field Assistant was the post of Village Level Worker (VLW). The department instead promoted the Petitioners to the posts of LDCs on different dates in the year 2011. Being seriously aggrieved by this, they had approached the State-Respondents to rectify their action and by promoting them as VLWs retrospectively from the dates of their promotions as LDCs. Their representations having not been considered, the Petitioners have chosen to prefer this Writ Petition, inter alia, praying for a direction to promote the Petitioners to the post of Village Level Workers.