HC issues notice to all parties, case adjourned till March 5

CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana high court’s stay of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order that last month set aside Dinkar Gupta’s appointment as Punjab director general of police continues.

During resumed hearing, a division bench of the high court adjourned the case till March 5 after issuing notices to all parties concerned following a petition moved by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) last week challenging the CAT orders. Earlier, the Punjab government and Gupta moved the HC on similar grounds.

The UPSC contended that the draft guidelines applied by the empanelment committee in preparation of panel of officers for the DGP selection do not contravene the criteria laid down by the Supreme Court.

It added that the draft guidelines have applied uniformly in 28 empanelment committee meetings held since November 2010 across India, and the Supreme Court has expressed satisfaction with the practice being adopted by it. UPSC counsel argued that any adverse orders will have an impact on the procedure being adopted by the commission in selection of all appointments made across India.

A DGP is selected from among three senior-most officers finalised by an empanelment committee of UPSC. The HC on January 21 stayed the CAT order on state government’s appeal against it.

The Punjab government stated in its affidavit that it followed proper criteria in fixing the number of eligible panel officers for the DGP’S appointment. A list of 12 officers within the “zone of consideration” was sent to the UPSC and the list was later reduced to eight as per the SC directions.

UPSC SAYS DRAFT GUIDELINES APPLIED IN PREPARATION OF PANEL OF OFFICERS DO NOT CONTRAVENE CRITERIA LAID DOWN BY SC