Authority: High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi

Order Date: 09 July 2026

Case Overview

  • Parties: Appellant – Pradip Kumar Modak, resident of Village‑Aralgaria, Dhanbad; Respondents – Bharat Coking Coal Ltd. (through its Managing Director, Personnel Manager, Chief General Manager, and Project Officer).
  • Nature of Proceeding: Appeal against the Single Judge’s order dated 12‑Oct‑2023 which dismissed W.P.(S) No. 1737 of 2020 filed by the appellant seeking correction of his date of birth in service records.
  • Background: The appellant, after 27 years of service, applied to change his recorded date of birth from 06‑Jan‑1966 to 09‑Feb‑1969, citing his matriculation certificate. The Single Judge dismissed the writ petition; the appellant now challenges that dismissal.
  • Contentions: appellant argued the discrepancy was merely an ambiguity and that the matriculation certificate was “impeccable”; respondents contended the delay of 27 years rendered the request impermissible.
  • Court’s Reasoning: The court noted the application was filed almost three decades after appointment, at the fag end of service, and cited Supreme Court decisions (e.g., State of M.P. Vs. Premlal Shrivas, 2011) holding that delays exceeding two decades are fatal irrespective of the absence of a specific statutory time‑limit. The service register showed the appellant himself had recorded the 1966 birth date, and no contemporaneous documentary evidence of the alternative date was produced at induction.

Final Outcome

  • The appeal is dismissed without any order for costs.
  • IA No. 6447 of 2025 is also disposed of accordingly.

Topics: Service Record Correction, Employment Law