In a major relief to thousands of state government employees of Himachal Pradesh, the Supreme Court (SC) of India has dismissed the Himachal Pradesh government’s Special Leave Petition (SLP) regarding a case concerning employee seniority and financial benefits.
Upholding the HP High Court’s verdict, a SC bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta in their judgment paved the way for giving all financial benefits to contractual employees, as being given to regular employees, from the date of their appointment .
HP Court had issued orders to give all financial benefits to contract employees after the state had enacted an Act, which was quashed by a High Court bench, comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Romesh Verma declaring the state government’s Act unconstitutional on April 25, 2026.
The state government had filed an SLP in the Supreme Court challenging this High Court verdict but the same was turned down by court.
Following the apex court ruling, the state government is now mandated to release the employees’ seniority, arrears, and financial benefits.
President of Himachal Pradesh Government College Teachers Association Dr Banita Saklani has welcomed the SC decision dismissing State government’ s Special Leave Petition and has termed the ruling as victory for thousands of contractual employees of the state .
