Himachal Pradesh High Court Imposes ₹1 Lakh Cost on Principal Secretary for Not Implementing Seniority Benefit

Himachal Pradesh: High Court Imposes ₹1 Lakh Cost on Principal Secretary for Delaying Seniority Benefit Implementation

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has imposed a cost of ₹1 lakh on the state’s Principal Secretary, RD Nazeem, for failing to comply with the court’s order regarding seniority benefits. The court expressed strong disapproval of the state government’s actions, stating that the government’s attitude had resulted in the wastage of valuable court time.

The bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Tarlochan Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyan Vaidya, referred to the Supreme Court’s ruling, which emphasized that delays in delivering justice to petitioners should be avoided. The petitioners were seeking to avail their due benefits, including seniority after their services were regularized. The court criticized the government’s decision to challenge the tribunal’s ruling at various levels, including a double bench and the Supreme Court, all of which had dismissed the government’s appeals.

In a recent hearing, the court questioned the government’s reluctance to follow through with a 2017 tribunal order, which had not yet been implemented. The petitioners, who had been employed on a contractual basis, had been seeking recognition of their seniority and other benefits post regularization. The court noted that these benefits should be counted towards their seniority after their services were confirmed.

The state’s Advocate General argued that promotion was a fundamental right but not an inherent one. He further mentioned that the seniority list was based on the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) decision made in 2016.

The court has now reserved its judgment after hearing the arguments from both sides, and it is expected to make a final ruling soon.