Authority: High Court of Punjab & Haryana at Chandigarh

Order Date: 16 July 2026

Case Overview

  • Petitioner: Rajbir Singh, daily‑wage worker appointed 5 June 1986, seeks writ of mandamus under Articles 226/227 for conversion to work‑charged T‑Mate from 1 April 1989 and ALM from 25 August 2004, with all consequential benefits, comparable to similarly situated employee Sukhdev Singh.
  • Respondents: State of Punjab and others, including Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) and Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB).
  • Service chronology:
  • Daily‑wage: 5 Jun 1986 – 30 Sep 1987 (XEN OP Division, PSPCL, Dhariwal).
  • Daily‑wage: Jun 1988 – 30 Sep 1989 (XEN, TLSC, PSTCL, Jalandhar City).
  • Retrenched Sep 1989 without compliance with Industrial Disputes Act 1947 Sec 25F.
  • Re‑employed 9 Jan 1997 – Jul 1999 as daily‑wage (SDO/OP Begowal/XEN OP, PSEB, Kartarpur).
  • Appointed work‑charged employee 6 Aug 1999 – 31 Oct 2011.
  • RTM: 1 Nov 2011 – 16 Apr 2012.
  • Promoted Assistant Lineman 17 Apr 2012.
  • Retired 30 Nov 2022.
  • Eligibility claim: Completed 500 days of daily‑wage service by 30 Sep 1988, invoking PSEB letters:
  • 23 Jan 1989 (500 days up to 31 Mar 1988).
  • 3 Feb 1992 (500 days up to 30 Sep 1988).
  • 2 Nov 1993 (regularisation policy subject to vacancy of work‑charge slots).
  • Allegations: Illegal retrenchment in Sep 1989; denial of conversion despite eligibility; financial loss compared with Sukhdev Singh, who was converted to work‑charged T‑Mate on 1 Apr 1989 and later promoted.
  • Respondents’ defence: Service not continuous 500 days; petitioner re‑employed under 1997 policy, thus not eligible for conversion in 1988; case distinct from Sukhdev Singh.

Final Outcome

  • The Court directs respondent PSPCL to consider the petitioner’s claim for conversion to work‑charged status under the letters/policies dated 23 Jan 1989, 3 Feb 1992 and 2 Nov 1993, and to grant pensionary benefits.
  • The conversion and pensionary benefits must be effected within three months from the date the certified copy of this order is received.
  • The petition is disposed of on these terms; any pending applications, if any, stand disposed.

Topics: Labour Law, Public Sector Employment