26,494 govt officers await promotions

Mumbai: As a matter related to reservation in promotions is pending before the Bombay high court, the promotion orders of 26,494 officers, across categories, have been put on hold. The general administration department had sought advice from the attorney general about the promotions. Maharashtra education department, on December 4 had demoted 20 officers who had been promoted on a temporary basis, in the wake of the High court order.

The data obtained from the general administration department showed that the promotions have been on hold for three months now. “After the reservation in promotion issue went to court, the state government halted the process of giving promotions. The situation is such since the last three months. The promotions are due for about 26,494 officers in all. A few officers have even retired without getting the promotion benefits. We have sought an opinion from the advocate general on the issue,” a senior official from the general administration department said on the condition of anonymity.

The issue is pertaining to the reserved category officers and giving them promotion based on the reservation. However, it has resulted in the promotion of all the officers to come to a halt. Of the 26,494 officers, 17,524 belong to the open category. In the A category, 2,503 officers are awaiting promotions, in the B category, 5,246 officers, in the C category, 10,477 officers and in the D category 2,268 officers are yet to get their due promotions and benefits. This has created unrest among the government officers.

The high court, in a decision in August, said that reservations in promotion were not valid, which was challenged by the state. The government has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, challenging the Bombay high court order that struck down a government resolution (GR) propounding reservation in promotions for scheduled caste (SC) and scheduled tribe (ST) category employees.