JUDGEMENT
AJAY KUMAR MITTAL,J. -
(1.) The petitioner prays for quashing the impugned
order dated 1.3.2016, Annexure P.4 passed by the Central Administrative
Tribunal, Chandigarh Bench, Chandigarh rejecting his claim for financial
up gradation w.e.f 10.5.2011 and regular promotion. Further prayer has
been made for quashing the orders dated 9.5.2014 and 29.7.2014, Annexures
A.19 and A.30 respectively.
(2.) A few facts relevant for the decision of the controversy involved as narrated in the petition may be noticed. On 15.1.1986, the petitioner
joined Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIR) as Section
Officer (G) at Bhopal. He was promoted on 13.6.1995 as Administrative
Officer and was posted at Lucknow. On 10.5.2001, he was promoted as
Controller of Administration and was posted at Lucknow. On 26.5.2011, the
petitioner on his transfer joined CSIR-CSIO, Chandigarh in the same
capacity. The petitioner retired on 30.9.2014. On 10.5.2011, the
petitioner became eligible for third financial up gradation under the
Modified Assured Career Progression Scheme (MACPS) on completion of 10
years of service in the same grade pay i.e. L 15600-39100 with grade pay
of L 7600/- as per para 1 of MACPS guidelines dated 19.5.2009, Annexure
A.3. As per para 17 of the MACPS guidelines dated 19.5.2009, Annexure
A.3, the financial up gradation would be on non functional basis subject
to fitness in the hierarchy of grade pay within the PB-1. Thereafter, for
up gradation under the MACPS, the benchmark of good would be applicable
till the grade pay of L 6600/- in PB-3. The benchmark will be very good
for financial up gradation to the grade pay of L 7600/- and above. The
CSIR vide circular dated 12.6.2012, Annexure A.7 issued the seniority
list of Deputy Secretaries/Controllers of Administration and the name of
the petitioner stood at Sr.No.5. Vide letter dated 24.12.2012, CSIR
called the petitioner for interview for regular promotion to the post of
Senior Controller of Administration/Sr.Deputy Secretary in
PB-4 i.e. L 37400-67000 with grade pay of L 8700/- for the vacancy for the year
2013-14 as per CSIR Recruitment and Promotion Rules for Administrative Staff 1982, Annexure A.9. Vide letter dated 16.1.2013, Annexure A.10,
CSIR declared the panel for promotion to the post of Sr.Deputy
Secretary/Sr. Controller of Administration for the vacancy year 2013- 14
and the petitioner was not recommended for promotion. The petitioner vide
letter dated 6.9.2013, Annexure A.11 obtained copies of available ACRs
for the period from 1.4.1996 to 31.3.2010 under the RTI Act wherein the
grading was good, very good and outstanding. The CSIR vide letter
dated 30.12.2013, Annexure A.12 notified the eligibility of the petitioner for
grant of financial up gradation w.e.f 10.5.2011. Vide circular dated
6.2.2014, Annexure A.13, the CSIR issued All India Financial Seniority lists of Common cadre officers as on 1.1.2014. The petitioner's name
stood at Sr. No.2 out of 33 in the category of Deputy
Secretary/Controller of Administration. The petitioner made
representations dated 14.2.2014, 23.4.2014 and 19.5.2014, Annexures A.14,
A.16 and A.31 respectively. Vide letter dated 9.5.2014, Annexure A.19,
the CSIR declared the result of the screening committee which met on
21.4.2014 and the petitioner's name did not appear in the list of officers recommended for grant of financial up gradation w.e.f 10.5.2011.
According to the petitioner, the matter was put up before the committee
without giving him any opportunity of making representation against the
ACRs containing below benchmark grading for the year 2003-04 in terms of
letter dated 13.4.2010, Annexure A.5 and for the years 2008-09 and
2009-10 in terms of letter dated 14.5.2009, Annexure A.2. Vide letter dated 2.7.2014, Annexure A.20, the petitioner was informed that his
representation had been reconsidered and the competent authority had
decided to adopt letter dated 13.4.2010, Annexure A.5 from the reporting
period 2014-15 onwards. It was further stated that the decision was
applicable in all the cases of similar nature and not in the case of the
petitioner only. Vide letter dated 2.7.2014, Annexure A.21, the
petitioner was called for interview on 29.7.2014 for regular promotion to
the post of Sr. Deputy Secretary. The benchmark gradings were
communicated to the petitioner vide letter dated 9;.7.2014, Annexure
A.22. The petitioner again submitted a representation dated 23.7.2014,
Annexure A.23 and appeared for interview for the year 2013-14 for regular
promotion. On 23.7.2014, Annexure A.24, the petitioner made
representation against the entries and final grading recorded for the
year 2010-11. The CSIR vide letter dated 29.7.2014, Annexure A.30
declared the panel for the post of Sr. Deputy Secretary/Sr. Controller of
Administration for the vacancy year 2013-14 thereby empanelling the
officer junior to the petitioner for promotion. The case of the
petitioner was placed before the Departmental Promotion Committee without
disposing of the representation dated 23.7.2014, Annexure A.24 of the
petitioner against the entries recorded for the year 2010-11. The
petitioner filed application before the Tribunal on 14.5.2015. Vide order
dated 1.3.2016, Annexure P.4, the Tribunal rejected the claim made by the
petitioner. Thereafter, the petitioner filed review application. Vide
order dated 12.4.2016, Annexure P.6, the Tribunal rejected the said
application. Hence the instant writ petition by the petitioner.
(3.) We have heard learned counsel for the petitioner.;
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