The Delhi High Court has declined to interfere with an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that merely adjourned a service dispute while continuing interim protection. The court instead instructed the Tribunal to hear the matter finally on the next scheduled date and made it clear that no adjournment or even a request for a pass over should be entertained.
Background of the Case
The writ petition was filed by the National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) and others against an order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal on May 20, 2026. The Tribunal had listed the original application for June 30, 2026, continued the interim relief until that date, and specifically stated that no further adjournment would be granted.
The petitioners nevertheless approached the Delhi High Court challenging the Tribunal's order.
A Division Bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla questioned the necessity of filing the writ petition when the Tribunal had already fixed an early date for final hearing.
The bench observed,
"We fail to understand why... the petitioner has approached this Court."
It further remarked that such petitions unnecessarily burden the High Court's docket.
The court also clarified that its earlier directions never required the matter to be heard by any particular Bench of the Tribunal. Instead, it stated that the case should be heard by the Bench to which it is assigned under the roster.
The judges further noted that seeking an adjournment despite the High Court's earlier direction against it was improper. The order also pointed out that the Tribunal's record did not disclose which party had sought the adjournment.
Declining to entertain the writ petition, the High Court disposed of the matter while requesting the Tribunal to hear the original application finally on June 30, 2026.
The court reiterated that neither side should seek any adjournment on that date and directed that no request for a pass over should be entertained.
The matter will be heard by the appropriate Tribunal Bench as per the roster.
Case Details
Case Title: National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT) & Ors. v. Sh. Raj Kumar Tripathi & Ors.
Case Number: W.P.(C) 7734/2026
Judge: Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla
Decision Date: 29 May 2026
-300x169.webp)
