Shimla, June 25, 2025 In a significant ruling, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has come down heavily on the state’s practice of engaging employees on temporary and daily-wage basis, terming it an “exploitative method” to deny them rightful benefits.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Ranjan Sharma, in Hem Chand vs Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), directed that employees be regularised after completing eight years of continuous service as daily wagers, along with all consequential benefits.
The court observed that despite being custodians of citizens’ rights, the state and its authorities often resort to temporary, contractual, ad hoc or daily-wage appointments to avoid implementing regularisation policies. It termed such practices as a deliberate attempt to bypass legal obligations in public employment.
Setting aside the denial of regularisation in the HRTC case, the bench also flagged the decision-making process of authorities, describing it as a “complete non-application of mind”.
The judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for thousands of employees working under similar arrangements across departments, boards and corporations in Himachal Pradesh. Legal experts say the ruling strengthens the case of long-serving contractual and guest employees seeking regularisation, especially those who have completed more than eight years of service.
The verdict is being seen as a major relief for employees engaged on prolonged temporary terms, reinforcing the principle that the state cannot evade its responsibility through arbitrary employment practices.
