Seniority row ends after 26 years in court

A seniority dispute rooted in events from before Haryana’s formation in 1966 has finally came to an end — after 26 years of litigation — with the Punjab and Haryana High Court declining to unsettle promotions granted more than three decades ago.

Taking up a petition filed in 1999 by Inspector Karan Singh and other petitioners against the State of Haryana and other respondents, Justice Jagmohan Bansal observed that the “private respondents” worked with the Punjab Police from 1961 to 1967. Their posts were abolished and they were asked to join the Border Security Force. The offer was turned down, after which the state government relieved them from service. Two years after Haryana’s formation, the State inducted them into the Haryana Police.

“In 1966, the State of Haryana came into existence. The State of Haryana permitted them to join Haryana Police Force in 1968. They claimed that their past service rendered with Punjab Police should be counted for pension, seniority and other service benefits. They preferred writ petitions before this court which were allowed. The matter reached the Supreme Court, which remanded the matter back to this court, with a direction for impleading affected persons as party,” Justice Bansal observed.

The high court vide order dated July 8, 1997, finally disposed of the matter, following which the petitioners police officers, now before the court, submitted detailed representation narrating the background.

Justice Bansal observed the “private respondents” were granted seniority and promotion. The petitioners then approached the high court seeking the setting aside of order dated October 14, 1991, as well as some other documents whereby the “private respondents” were granted seniority over them.

Justice Bansal asserted that the petitioners were disputing seniority and promotion of private respondents more than three decades back. The private respondents’ past service for the purpose of seniority and promotion was counted in accordance with the court’s direction.

“Undisputedly, the private respondents have rendered service with Punjab Police from 1961 to 1967. There was a small break in their service but not because of their fault. They were regular employees. The petitioners as well as private respondents have already retired. It would not be in the interest of justice and fitness of things to disturb promotion granted to private respondents three decades back. In the backdrop, this court is of the considered opinion that the present petition deserves to be dismissed and accordingly dismissed,” he stated.