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High court upholds salary hike for Haryana patwaris after 15-year legal battle

The Punjab and Haryana High Court dismissed the Haryana government’s contention that they had not passed the departmental test for promotions.

3 min readChandigarhMar 6, 2025 07:44 PM IST

After years of litigation, various single-judge benches ruled in favour of the patwaris, prompting the state to challenge the decisions through intra-court appeals. (Express File)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed multiple appeals filed by the Haryana government, affirming patwaris’ entitlement to salary hike under the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme despite their non-clearance of a departmental test for promotion. Patwaris are government officials in rural India who manage land records and collect taxes.

A division bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Meenakshi I Mehta ruled that the state’s requirement for patwaris to clear the departmental test for promotion to the post of kanungo could not be used to deny them ACP benefits, which are intended to prevent career stagnation.

The ruling came in four Letters Patent Appeals (LPAs) filed by the Haryana government against separate decisions of single-judge benches that had allowed patwaris to claim ACP benefits. The case has been ongoing for over a decade, with petitions filed as early as 2010. The court held that “there is no cogent and valid reason to interfere with the impugned judgments,” and dismissed the appeals.

The legal battle began when patwaris—Parmanand and others, Kalu Ram and others, Bhim Singh, and Rampal Patwari and others—approached the high court through writ petitions seeking financial upgradation under the ACP scheme after completing the requisite service tenure of 20 or 30 years. The petitions were filed in different years: some in 2010, others in 2013, 2014, and 2018

The state had denied their claims on the grounds that they had not passed the departmental exam for promotion to kanungo, as required under the Haryana Civil Services (Assured Career Progression) Rules of 1998 and 2008. However, the petitioners argued that ACP benefits were designed to provide financial relief in cases where promotional opportunities were limited.

After years of litigation, various single-judge benches ruled in favour of the patwaris, prompting the state to challenge the decisions through intra-court appeals. The division bench upheld the earlier rulings, citing Supreme Court judgments, including Union of India vs. G. Rajanna (2008) and Amresh Kumar Sinha vs. State of Bihar (2023), which held that ACP benefits should not be treated as equivalent to regular promotions. The court also noted that other similarly placed patwaris had been granted ACP benefits despite not clearing the exam.

“The respondents-writ petitioners cannot be deprived of the benefit of ACP scales on account of their not having cleared/passed the departmental test for the post of kanungo,” the bench ruled.

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With this ruling, Haryana’s attempt to withhold ACP benefits from patwaris has been effectively struck down, marking the end of a 15-year-long legal battle for higher pay.

Manraj Grewal Sharma

Manraj Grewal Sharma is a senior journalist and the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Chandigarh, where she leads the newspaper’s coverage of north India’s most politically and institutionally significant regions. From Punjab and Haryana to Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, she oversees reporting at the intersection of governance, law, politics and society. She also reports on the diaspora, especially in Canada and the US. With a career spanning journalism across several countries, academia and international development, Manraj brings a rare depth of perspective to regional reporting. She is widely regarded as a leading chronicler of Punjab’s contemporary history and socio-political evolution, particularly its long shadow of militancy, federal tensions and identity politics. Her book, Dreams after Darkness, remains a definitive account of the militancy years and their enduring aftermath. Professional Background & Expertise A gold medalist in mass communication and a post-graduate in English literature, Manraj has a multifaceted career spanning journalism, academia, and international development. She was also awarded a fellowship by National Foundation of India and did several in-depth pieces on Manipur. Internationally, she has reported from Israel, US, UK, Myanmar, and Mauritius Her key focus areas include: Regional Politics, History, Agriculture, Diaspora, and Security. Of late, she has started focusing on Legal & Judicial Affairs: Much of her recent work involves reporting on high-stakes cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court, ranging from environmental policy to civil rights. International Consulting: She previously served as a consulting editor for the Asia Pacific Adaptation Network and a publishing consultant for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Manila. Academia: For five years, she was the managing editor of Gender, Technology and Development, a peer-reviewed international journal at the Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage focuses heavily on judicial interventions and regional governance: 1. Environment & Governance "‘NGT can’t test legality of policy’: HC hears challenge to Punjab’s ‘Green Habitat’ plan" (Dec 22, 2025): Covering a critical legal battle over whether the National Green Tribunal has the authority to strike down a state policy regularizing farmhouses on delisted forest land. "High court pulls up Punjab poll panel over audio clip probe" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on judicial concerns regarding the transparency and fairness of local body elections. 2. Legal Rights & Social Welfare "HC issues notice to Punjab, Haryana over delay in building old age homes" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on a contempt petition against top officials for failing to establish government-run homes for the elderly as promised in 2019. "Victims can appeal acquittals in sessions court without seeking special leave" (Dec 19, 2025): Highlighting a significant procedural shift in criminal law following a Supreme Court ruling. "HC upholds benefits for Punjab FCI officer acquitted in 20-year-old bribery case" (Dec 19, 2025): A report on the concept of "honourable acquittal" and its impact on employee benefits. 3. Human Rights & Identity "As Punjab denies parole to MP Amritpal Singh, HC asks it to submit ‘foundational material’" (Dec 1, 2025): Covering the legal proceedings regarding the radical preacher and sitting MP's request to attend Parliament. "Protecting life paramount: HC backs Muslim woman in live-in after verbal divorce" (Nov 6, 2025): Analyzing judicial protections for personal liberty in the context of traditional practices. Signature Beats Manraj is recognized for her ability to decode complex judicial rulings and relate them to the everyday lives of citizens. Whether it is a 30-year-old land battle in Fazilka or the political implications of Kangana Ranaut’s candidacy in Mandi, her writing provides deep historical and regional context. Contact @grewal_sharma on X manrajgrewalsharma on Instagram ... Read More

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Punjab and Haryana High Court

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