Gauhati High Court
I.A.(Civil)/219/2026 of SHRI MOBA WENKHANG AND 2 ORS Vs SMTI. ANUO LONGHO AND 13 ORS on 10 September 2026
GAHC020007932026 THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH) KOHIMA BENCH Case No. : I.A.(Civil)/219/2026 SHRI MOBA WENKHANG AND 2 ORS PROBATION OFFICER, ATTACHED TO THE DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE, NAGALAND, KOHIMA 2: SHRI. RUKUVOTO RINGA
GAHC020007932026
THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT
(HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)
KOHIMA BENCH
Case No. : I.A.(Civil)/219/2026
SHRI MOBA WENKHANG AND 2 ORS
PROBATION OFFICER, ATTACHED TO THE DIRECTORATE OF
SOCIAL WELFARE, NAGALAND, KOHIMA
2: SHRI. RUKUVOTO RINGA
SUPERINTENDENT
OBSERVATION HOME-SPECIAL HOME
ATTACHED TO THE DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE
NAGALAND
KOHIMA
3: SMTI VENEDULU VERO
RESEARCH OFFICER
DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE
NAGALAND
KOHIM
VERSUS
SMTI. ANUO LONGHO AND 13 ORS
CDPO LONGLENG ICDS PROJECT, LONGLENG, DIRECTORATE OF
SOCIAL WELFARE, NAGALAND, KOHIMA
2:STATE OF NAGALAND
REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY
GOVT. OF NAGALAND
KOHIMA
3:THE DIRECTOR
DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
4:SHRI VEKHOTO TETSEO
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
PHEK
NAGALAND.
5:SHRI RENCHAMO ODYUO
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
SHAMATOR
NAGALAND.
6:SHRI. R. IMTINUKSHI
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
ZUNHEBOTO
NAGALAND.
7:SMTI. AJONGLA TEMJEN
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
NOKLAK
NAGALAND.
8:SMTI. SENTIMENTLA PONGENER
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
TSEMINYU
NAGALAND.
9:SHRI MENOKHRIELIE
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
10:SHRI S. YESUMONG SANGTAM
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
11:SHRI M. YANGSEMONG SANGTAM
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
12:H LAITAK KONYAK
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICER(CDPO) MON ICDS
PROJECT
DEOARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
MON
NAGALAND.
13:DISHONG CHAWANG@ DISHONG ZELIANG.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICER (CDPO) PEREN ICDS
PROJECT
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
PEREN NAGALAND.
14:R CHIRHOTSHU NYUSOU
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
OFFICER (CDPO) JALUKIE ICDS PROJECT
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
JALUKIE
NAGALAND
Advocate for the Petitioner : SENTILONG, Advocate for the Respondent : , Linked Case : WP(C)/54/2026
ANUO LONGHO
W/O SHRI ANGAM P. LONGHO
PRESENTLY SERVING AS CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICER
(CDPO)
LONGLENG ICDS PROJECT
LONGLENG DISTRICT
DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE
NAGALAND. R/O HOUSE NO. 403
ERALIBIL
DIMAPUR
NAGALAND
VERSUS
STATE OF NAGALAND AND 12 ORS
REPRESENTED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND SECRETARY
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
GOVT. OF NAGALAND
KOHIMA
2:THE DIRECTOR
DIRECTORATE OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
3:SHRI VEKHOTO TETSEO
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
PHEK
NAGALAND.
4:SMTI. RENCHANO ODYUO
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
SHAMATOR
NAGALAND.
5:SHRI. R. IMTINUKSHI
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
ZUNHEBOTO
NAGALAND.
6:SMTI. AJONGLA TEMJEN
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
NOKLAK
NAGALAND.
7:SMTI. SENTIMENTLA PONGENER
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
TSEMINYU
NAGALAND.
8:SHRI MENOKHRIELIE
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
9:SHRI S. YESUMONG SANGTAM
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
10:SHRI M. YANGSEMONG SANGTAM
DISTRICT PROGRAMME OFFICER (DPO)
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
KOHIMA
NAGALAND.
11:H LAITAK KONYAK
H LAITAK KONYAK
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICER(CDPO) MON ICDS
PROJECT
DEOARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
MON
NAGALAND.
12:DISHONG CHAWANG@ DISHONG ZELIANG.
DISHONG CHAWANG@ DISHONG ZELIANG
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT OFFICER (CDPO) PEREN ICDS
PROJECT
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
PEREN NAGALAND.
13:R CHIRHOTSHU NYUSOU
R CHIRHOTSHU NYUSOU
CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
OFFICER (CDPO) JALUKIE ICDS PROJECT
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE
JALUKIE
NAGALAND.
------------
Advocate for : R. IRALU
SR. ADV
Advocate for : GOVT ADV NL appearing for STATE OF NAGALAND AND
12 ORS
BEFORE
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE MANISH CHOUDHURY
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ORDER
10.07.2025 Heard Mr. Taka Masa, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Mr. Sentilong, learned counsel for the applicants; Mr. R. Iralu, learned Senior Counsel assisted by Mr. L. Iralu, learned counsel for the opposite party no. 1 – writ petitioner; Ms. A Sangtam, learned Government Advocate for the opposite party nos. 2 & 3; and Mr. W. Jamir, learned counsel for the opposite party nos. 4-14.
2. The opposite party no. 1 as the writ petitioner has preferred the accompanying writ petition, W.P.[C.] no. 54/2026 with a grievance that her promotion to the post of District Project Officer [DPO] in the Social Welfare Department, Government of Nagaland has been withheld by an Order dated 28.02.2025. Assailing the said Order dated 28.02.2025 and another Order dated 10.04.2026, the accompanying writ petition has been filed. By the impugned Order dated 28.02.2025, six Child Development Project Officers [CDPOs] were promoted to the post of DPO. By the impugned Order dated 10.04.2026, three more CDPOs were promoted to the post of DPO.
3. While issuing notice to the respondents on 24.04.2026, an interim order to the following effect has been passed :-
8. In the Interim, it is directed that pending disposal of this writ petition, the respondent authorities shall reserve one post of District Programme Officer for the petitioner. It is also directed not to process further promotions of the petitioner’s juniors during the pendency of the writ petition.
4. The applicants herein are presently serving as Probation Officer, Superintendent and Research Officer, which posts are equivalent to the post of CDPO in the Social Welfare Department, Government of Nagaland. It is the contention of the applicants that due to the interim Order dated 24.04.2026, the process of promotion to the post of DPO in the anticipated vacancies has been halted as the applicants are within the zone of consideration for the anticipated vacant post in question, the interim Order dated 24.04.2026 has stand in the way.
5. In order to take part in the proceedings of accompanying writ petition effectively, the applicants have approached this Court by the instant interlocutory application seeking their impleadment as party-respondent nos. 14, 15 & 16 in W.P.[C.] no. 54/2026. It is further averred that three other similarly situated persons have already been impleaded as party-respondent nos. 11, 12 & 13 in the accompanying writ petition pursuant to an Order dated 18.08.2026 passed in I.A.[C] no. 177/2026.
6. Mr. R. Iralu, learned Senior Counsel appearing for the opposite party no. 1 – writ petitioner has submitted that as these applicants are found to be similarly situated as the applicants in I.A.[C] no. 177/2026, by which party-respondent nos. 11, 12 & 13 have already been impleaded, he has no objection if the prayer made by these applicants seeking their impleadment as party-respondent nos. 14, 15 & 16 is allowed.
7. Having regard to the above projected facts, and considering the submissions of the learned counsel for the parties, the applicants are found to have substantial interest in the outcome of the accompanying writ petition. Therefore, the application of the applicants for their impleadment as party-respondent nos. 14, 15 & 16 is allowed.
8. As the accompanying writ petition, W.P.[C.] no. 54/2026 is to be disposed of also today, the Registry has to incorporate the details of the party-respondent nos. 14, 15 & 16 for the purpose of record.
JUDGE Comparing Assistant