Mutum Nilamani Singh v. State of Manipur and Anr

O R D E R 10-02-2026

Heard Mr. I. Denning, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner and Mr. A. Priyokumar Sharma, learned counsel assisting Mr. S. Chittaranjan, learned Addl. AG appearing for the respondents.

In view of the limited prayer made on behalf of the petitioner and as agreed to by both the counsel appearing for the parties, the present writ petition is being disposed of at the Motion stage itself.

At the outset, the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the Office of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & HoFF, Manipur, issued a Notification dated 11-02-2025 notifying a Combined Tentative Seniority List of Range Forest Officers (Promotion & Direct Recruit) of Forest Department, Manipur, as on 25-10-2024 inviting claims and objection from the interested candidates before announcing the Final Seniority List.

Pursuant to the said Notification, the petitioner has already submitted an objection dated 05-03-2025 to the Principal Chief

IN. 4 SHOUGRAKPAM DEVANANDA SINGH Date: 2026.02.10 17:05:05 +05'30'

Conservator of Forest & HoFF, Manipur, with the request to finalize and publish the Final Seniority List of Range Forest Officers strictly in terms of the applicable rules. It has been submitted that the said representation is still pending for consideration and the final seniority list is yet to be published by the authorities.

Mr. I. Denning, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner will be satisfied for the time being if the present writ petition is disposed of by directing the respondent No. 2, i.e., Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & HoFF, Manipur, to consider the said representation on its own merit and strictly in terms of the applicable rules and to dispose of the same by issuing a speaking order within the stipulated period.

Mr. A. Priyokumar Sharma, learned counsel appearing for the respondents fairly submitted that as the prayer made on behalf of the petitioner is confined to the consideration and disposal of the representation submitted by him, he has no objection in disposing of this writ petition as prayed for by the learned counsel appearing for the petitioner.

Considering the submissions advanced by the learned counsel appearing for the parties, this court is of the considered view that it will be in the interest of justice to issue the following directions:-

(i) The Principal Chief Conservator of Forest & HoFF, Manipur (respondent No. 2), is hereby directed to consider the aforesaid representation/ objection dated 05-03-2025

submitted by the petitioner on its own merit and strictly in terms of the applicable rules and to dispose of the same by issuing a speaking order;

(ii) The whole exercise should be completed within a period of two months from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order; and

(iii) It is made clear that the aforesaid directions have been issued without touching upon the merit of the case.

With the aforesaid directions, the present writ petition is disposed of.

JUDGE Devananda

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL Mutum Nilamani Singh … Petitioner Vs. State of Manipur & anr. … Respondents B E F O R E HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH