CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained the Punjab government from making appointment to the post of director, animal husbandry, fisheries and dairy development department of the state.
Justice Sudip Ahluwalia of the high court passed the order while hearing a petition filed by H S Kahlon and Subash Chander, both joint director rank officers serving in the department. The court has also issued notice to the additional chief secretary of the department seeking reply by December 8 on the contentions raised by the petitioners.
Vivek Sharma, the counsel for the petitioners, argued that the sole grievance of the petitioners is that as per rules, they are eligible for promotion to the post of director, animal husbandry department, but the government, instead of promoting them, has advertised to fill the post on deputation basis, which is totally against the rules.
“Petitioners are second and third in the chronological hierarchy in the department and thus eligible for promotion to the post of director in view of Rules 2020. But, the department, instead of promoting them as per the rules, has issued an advertisement dated September 23, 2020, without any reasoning and justification, for inviting applications for the post of director on deputation basis,” advocate Sharma submitted. The department has opened the post to all the departments of the central and state governments and to universities or research institutes. The petitioners have sought directions to quash the advertisement and to consider their application for the director’s post.