Tejinder Singh Dhindsa, J. - (1.) Learned counsel for the parties have been heard at length.
(2.) The petitioners, who were working on the post of Pump Operators (Class-III posts) on daily wage basis since the year 1989 in the PWD Public Health Department, State of Punjab, now Water Supply and Sanitation Department, have filed the present writ petition, seeking directions to the respondent-authorities to consider their claim for regularisation in service with effect from the dates persons junior to them were wrongly regularised and who have since been de-regularized.
(3.) Towards asserting their claim, the petitioners are placing reliance upon memo dated 10.11.2010, Annexure P2, issued by the Superintending Engineer, Water Supply & Sanitation Circle, Ludhiana addressed to the Secretary to Government of Punjab, Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab, Chandigarh wherein it had been clearly noticed that in pursuance to the different policies issued by the State from time to time on the subject of regularization, employees on Muster Roll/daily wage have been regularised on seniority basis upto seniority No.637-A. It has also been noticed that certain employees i.e. 19 in number had been regularised wrongfully and, accordingly, their services have since been de-regularized. Out of such 19 employees, 18 had approached this Court and in respect of 10 of them, the orders of de-regularization have been upheld. In respect of eight employees, the matter is still pending. It has also been stated in such memo that had such employees not been regularised in service, then in terms of the policy decision dated 15.12.2006, the Muster Roll employees/daily wagers from seniority No.638 to 648 would have been considered for such benefit and such employees have been wrongfully deprived of their claim of regularization. Accordingly, approval was sought for regularising the services of the Pump Operators whose names were reflected at seniority No.638 to 648.;