Chandigarh gets notice over plea on DEO’s appointment

Chandigarh, June 24

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice to the UT Administration on an application challenging the appointment of Harbir Singh as the UT DEO.

The notice for August 17 by the Bench of Justice Daya Chaudhary and Justice Meenakshi I Mehta came on the application filed by former DEO Anujit Kaur through senior advocate DS Patwalia and Gaurav Rana. Harbir Singh is slated to replace present incumbent Alka Mehta.

In her plea, Anujit Kaur submitted that she should have been allowed to continue on the post, being the senior-most in the department. Patwalia, on her behalf, has sought directions to the Education Department to conduct a regular departmental promotion committee (DPC).

The Bench, during the course of hearing, was told that Mehta was appointed the DEO in November 2019, replacing Anujit.Following the Education Department’s decision, Anujit challenged the orders before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which stayed Mehta’s appointment. As a consequence, Mehta moved the HC challenging the CAT orders.

The court on January 6 stayed the CAT order and allowed Mehta to continue. The Bench observed that Mehta had joined on the DEO’s post on November 27, 2019, and had continued to work till the passing of the impugned order dated December 24, 2019, by the CAT. The tribunal, the Bench observed, had stayed the initial transfer of Anujit from the post. Anujit added the department, instead of resolving the issue, had passed a fresh order, which would further complicate the matter. — TNS