MRS. POONAM AGARWAL vs GOVERNMENT OF NCT AND ORS.

Judgment text excerpt

$~P-2 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Decided on: 26.09.2025 + W.P.(C) 9134/2018 MRS. POONAM AGARWAL .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Sunil Singh Parihar and Mr. Ankit Dwivedi, Advocates. versus GOVERNMENT OF NCT AND ORS. .....Respondents Through: Ms. Latika Choudhury, Advocate. CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN JUDGMENT 1. By way of this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution, the petitioner assails an order dated 28.06.2018, by which the respondents decided not to renew her contract for the post of District Program Manager [“DPM”], National Health Mission. She also seeks reinstatement in the said post with all consequential benefits. 2. The petitioner was first appointed on 28.01.2014 as DPM in the Integrated District Health Society [“IDHS”], South-East District, Saket, which is the district level implementation arm of the National Health Mission. On 29.11.2016, she was transferred to IDHS Shahdara, at her request. 3. The terms and conditions of engagement, issued to the petitioner on 13.02.2014, include the following: “1. The contractual engagement is upto 31.12.2014 as per policy of NRHM / DSHM subject to quarterly review of performance against the parameters approved by the society and recommendations of the Signature Not Verified Signed By:SOMYA W.P.(C) 9134/2018 Page 1 of 17 SATIJA Signing Date:26.09.2025 17:02:28 reviewing officer. xxxx xxxx xxxx 10. The society reserves the right to terminate the contract to the post without assigning any reason after giving one month's advance notice. Similarly, you shall have to give a Notice of one month before you may decide to resign from the post or deposit one month's remuneration in lieu of the same.”1 4. The petitioner was regularly appraised, and was granted ten renewals of her contract, for varyi