M A I N   N E W S

CAT stays promotion of 12 PCS officers to IAS
Ruchika M. Khanna/TNS

Chandigarh, September 16
The promotion of 12 Punjab Civil Services officers to the elite Indian Administration Service (IAS) has run into rough weather with the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) staying the proceedings of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

The appointment of these officers to the IAS has been stayed by the Tribunal on the plea by Kiran Rosy, a former PCS officer, who was prematurely retired by the state government on August 19, on allegations of having caused losses to the state exchequer. Rosy had pleaded before the Tribunal that her name was removed from the consideration zone of officers, whose names were recommended by the Punjab government, on the premise that she had been prematurely retired, before the names were sent. She has pleaded that the relevant year of the vacancy (in this case 2011 and 2012) has to be considered and not the subsequent year (2013).

The officers whose appointment to the IAS has been stayed by the CAT are: Sukhwinder Singh, G S Ghuman, M S Jaggi, P S Gill, Manpreet Singh, Jaskiran Singh, Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, Manjit Singh Brar, Kanwalpreet Brar, Tejinder Singh Dhaliwal, DPS Kharbanda and Bhupinder Singh Rai.

Interestingly, Rosy is not the sole voice of dissent against the list of officers whose names were sent in the consideration zone or approved by the DPC in its meeting held on September 5. Some other PCS officers have been alleging irregularities

in the selection of the consideration zone, claiming that politically well connected people have been considered for promotion to the IAS.

And even as the promotion of these 12 PCS officers has been stayed for the time being, the state government faces another dilemma as it has posted some of the promoted officers against cadre posts. M S Jaggi has been posted as deputy commissioner, Faridkot. The deputy commissioner’s is a cadre post and the Indian Administrative Services Fixation of Cadre Strength Third Amendment Regulations, 2010, clearly states that only an IAS officer can be appointed as a deputy commissioner. There are 221 cadre posts in the state government.

Sources also said that the posting of Jaggi as DC, Faridkot, along with 11 other IAS officers, who were transferred by state government on September 14, is yet to be approved by the Chief Electoral Officer of Punjab. Since the work for the preparation of electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha elections is on, approval for new postings and transfers is needed from the Election Commission. 

Voices of dissent

Some PCS officers have been alleging irregularities in the selection of the consideration zone. They claim politically well-connected people have been considered for promotion to the IAS

Double trouble for govt

* The state government faces another dilemma as it has now posted some of the promoted officers against cadre posts

* The DC’s is a cadre post and the posting of MS Jaggi as Faridkot DC, along with 11 IAS officers, is yet to be approved by the poll panel chief

* Since the work for the preparation of electoral rolls for the Lok Sabha elections is on, the EC’s approval is needed