Early Times Report
JAMMU, Sept 3: The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh at Jammu has overturned the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu Bench, which had directed the Higher Education Department to appoint four Associate Professors as Principals in government degree colleges across the Union Territory.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Sanjay Parihar ruled that the Tribunal had erred in declaring the December 2022 Public Service Commission (PSC) select list valid beyond November 2023.
The dispute involved Professors Arti Pandoh Gupta, Narinder Kumar, Rajender Kumar Sharma, and Anita Jamwal, who were part of the PSC's panel of Associate Professors empanelled for promotion as Principals. While the CAT had quashed three government orders of 2024 and ordered their appointment, the High Court clarified that under Rule 64 of the PSC (Business and Procedure) Rules, 2021, such select lists operate only for a year and must be reviewed annually.
The Court observed that though 120 candidates were empanelled against 105 vacancies in December 2022 and an additional 30 kept in reserve, the validity of the panel expired on November 30, 2023. Sixteen of the reserve candidates were accommodated before expiry, but others, including the respondents, could not be adjusted for want of vacancies.
Upholding Government Order No.297-JK(HE) of 2024, the Bench directed the Higher Education Department to strictly follow seniority norms in appointing Incharge Principals and restrict delegation of Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) powers to such officers only. (JNF |
