State tells HC no promotions will be made under November 14 notice

The Punjab and Haryana High Court was informed on Thursday that no promotion would be carried out under the Department of School Education’s notice dated November 14. The notice was sought to be quashed “only to the extent by which the department concerned called for the cases of promotion to the post of principal only of lecturers and vocational lecturers.”

The petition was filed by headmasters seeking consideration for elevation to the post of Principal. The assurance was recorded during the hearing of a writ petition filed by Gaurav Rikhi and other petitioners. Among other things, the petitioners alleged that respondent-Director, Department of School Education (Secondary), Punjab, illegally excluded headmasters from the zone of consideration while inviting cases of lecturers and vocational lecturers alone.

The submission came before Justice Deepinder Singh Nalwa’s Bench after the State, through the state counsel Neha Sonawane conveyed instructions from Assistant Director (Promotion), Secondary Education, Amandeep Kaur, that “no promotion will be made till the next date of hearing.”

The petitioner had challenged the impugned notice on the ground that the Department’s action was “de hors the applicable service rules”. The petitioners also sought direction for consideration of their cases strictly in accordance with the service rules and the settled seniority of headmasters, besides a direction to ensure their cases are forwarded for the upcoming DPC.

During the hearing, the State requested time to obtain further instructions. Justice Nalwa accepted the request and adjourned the matter to November 26.