In connection with the post of director of Environment and Climate Change, different writ appeals have been filed before the High Court. Counsels of different writ appeals in unison stated that the connected appeals may be disposed of whilst permitting the state government to consider the appointment of in-charge director of environment and climate change, Manipur afresh in accordance with memoranda of October 3, 2020 and March 9, 2021 and in accordance with law within a period of eight weeks.

As there has been no objection to the proposal made on behalf of the government, the HC disposed of all the connected writ appeals, permitting the state government to consider an in-charge director in accordance with office memoranda and in accordance with the law within eight weeks.

It should be mentioned that in a writ petition, a single bench of Manipur High Court on December 15, 2023 had directed the state government to appoint Ph Vivekananda Sharma as director in-charge of Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Government of Manipur within a period of 15 days.

In that order, the HC stated that Ph Vivekananda is the senior most in the cadre of the Deputy Director, unless the final seniority list dated January 11, 2023 is set aside finally in WP(C) No. 289 of 2023. Moreover, as per recommendation of DPC held on June 9, 2023 for promotion to Joint Director and actual promotion order and posting dated June 15, 2023, the petitioner can be considered senior most tentatively until finalisation of seniority of Joint Directors, in view of Para 2.2 of OM dated July 3, 1986 issued by DoPT, Government Of India.

However, the division bench while permitting the consideration of the in-charge director mentioned that the in-charge director can be considered without being bound by the tentative findings arrived at the single judge bench.