Srinagar, May 13 -- Observing that granting parity to a handful of seasonal labourers could open floodgates for more than 3,000 similarly placed workers across Kashmir, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has dismissed a writ petition seeking permanent casual labour status in the Irrigation department.

The significant ruling came in a writ petition filed by some seasonal labourers - Mohammad Amin Rather and others v. UT of J&K and others - was disposed of today by Justice Sanjay Parihar.

The bench held that courts cannot issue directions for regularisation or permanent absorption contrary to the constitutional scheme governing public employment, particularly when a blanket government ban on engagements is in force.

The petitio...