WP(C) 135/2008 BEFORE HON’BLE MR JUSTICE AMITAVA ROY This writ petition has been filed to set aside and quash the orders dat ed 25/28-9-2006 issued by the Secretary, Bodoland Territorial Council ( hereina fter referred to as ’BTC’) whereby the services of the petitioners were terminat ed. I have heard Mr A.Nath, learned counsel for the petitioners and Mr K. Da s, learned Standing counsel, BTC. Briefly stated, the petitioners case is that, they in response to an e mployment notice displayed on 7.7.1999 in the office of the Sub Divisional Elem entary Education Advisory Board,BAC, erstwhile Nalbari District (herein after re ferred to as ’Board’) for appointment to the posts of LP/MV/ME/MEM schools, sub mitted their applications along with necessary particulars. The petitioners were thereafter called for the interview. The Board in the month of September,1999 published a select list where the names of the petitioners along with many othe rs figured and the select list was sent to the Deputy Inspector of Schools/Dis trict Elementary Education Officer, Nalbari for appointment. Accordingly, the pe titioners were appointed in the year 1999 along with others as stipendiary teachers at a fixed pay of Rs.900/- per month. Their appo intments were also approved by the Board. Eventually, the petitioners were appoi nted against the sanctioned posts/retired vacancies and were paid their salary upto May,2006. They were also sent for the Basic Training held in the year 2004 , 2005 and2006 and came out successful. The authorities also opened their Servic e Books and they were also allotted the GPF Account numbers. The petitioners have averred that since the month of May,2006 their sala ry has been withheld and suddenly on 25/28-9-2006 the Secretary, BTC ,Kokrajhar has issued the termination orders against the petitioners along with others with out affording them any opportunity to show cause. The petitioners have claime d that though they received the termination orders, they have been discharging their duties regularly against the sanctioned posts till date. Mr Sarma h while reiterating the above has submitted that in a similar fact situation , this Court in a batch of writ petition the lead case being WP( C)No.6070/2006 by judgment and order dated 6.12.2007 has set aside the termination orders issued against the petitioners therein with certain observations and as such this petit ion also be closed in terms thereof. Ms Bordoloi, learned Standing counsel, BTC has fairly conceded to the pr ayer made. In that view of the matter, this petition stands disposed with the follo wing directions :- (1) The impugned orders pertaining to the termination of the petitioners se rvices herein stand quashed. However, it is made clear that this Court has not e xpressed its opinion on the merits and contentions of the parties. The impugned termination orders have been quashed simply on the ground of violation of the pr inciples of natural justice as the petitioners were not afforded any prior oppo rtunity of hearing. (2) It would be in the discretion of the BTC authority to deal with the mat ter hereafter in accordance with law. However, it would not be open for them to pass any adverse orders against the petitioners without according them a reaso nable opportunity of hearing. (3) The petitioners would be paid their salaries for the period they have r endered their services subject to budgetary allocation for which the BTC author ity has already moved the State Government . (4) Necessary budget allocation would be provided by the State respondents to the BTC so that the petitioners can be paid their admissible salary. (5) It is made clear that such payment of salary to the petitioners would not be dependant on the interim order passed by this Court meaning thereby that the irrespective of the interim order passed, the petitioners would be paid their s alary. This is in tune with the interim order passed on 15.12.2006 in WP( C) No. 6064/2006. The writ petition stands disposed in the above terms. No costs.