Promotion row: HC summons two officers

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 21

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has summoned the Secretary, PWD (B&R), and the Chief Engineer, Horticulture, in a service matter. Justice Jaswant Singh also fixed March 8 as the next date of hearing.

The case pertains to Sub-divisional Engineer (SDE) Sandeep Singh’s promotion as an executive engineer. In his petition, another SDE in the department, Satinder Singh, had, through counsel RPS Bara, argued that Sandeep was promoted after ignoring the petitioner.

Admittedly senior to the respondent, Satinder was eligible for promotion. Considering his claim, the High Court had in July 2016 issued a notice to the department and stayed Sandeep’s promotion orders.

Later, Sandeep filed an application for the stay’s vacation. Meanwhile, the officer was allowed to continue on the post, the court was told.

The petitioner filed a contempt application, on which a notice was issued. The court was told that the department still did not revert the officer, but filed an application for vacation of stay on the grounds taken by Sandeep.

Justice Jaswant Singh said the application had been filed for vacation of the ad-interim ex-parte order dated July 25, 2016, whereby the promotion order of Sandeep as executive engineer was ordered to be stayed.

A similar application was filed by the respondent-officer on August 4, 2016, which was subsequently adjourned and was now fixed for hearing along with the main case in May this year.

“No reply has been filed till today to the contempt application by the Secretary, PWD (B&R), and the Chief Engineer, Horticulture Department, in spite of time granted…Let both be present in the court… They are, however, permitted to file their replies, if any, before the said date,” Justice Jaswant Singh ruled.