Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 13: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu Bench comprising Rajinder Singh Dogra (Judicial Member) and Ram Mohan Johri (Administrative Member) has quashed the seniority list of the 1998 batch of Prosecuting Officers in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, ordering a revision in favor of Rajesh Bakshi, who had contested his lower placement in the final list despite securing the highest marks in the recruitment process.
The applicant, Rajesh Bakshi, had challenged the final seniority list issued on December 6, 2003, which placed him at Serial Number 34, despite securing 76 out of 100 marks in the selection process-a score higher than all private respondents listed above him.
The applicant’s case stems from an identity error during the original 1998 written test. Due to a name discrepancy, he was temporarily barred from entering the examination hall and failed to qualify. Following a successful writ petition in the High Court, Bakshi was allowed to retake the examination, in which he scored the highest marks.
Despite his subsequent appointment being backdated to align with the 1998 batch, the authorities placed him lower in the seniority list, prompting Bakshi to seek legal redress again. After the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into a Union Territory in 2019, the case was transferred to the CAT.
The Tribunal held that as per the directions of the High Court and applicable rules (specifically Rule 24 of the J&K Civil Services Classification, Control and Appeal Rules), seniority should be determined by merit in the selection process. Accordingly, the Tribunal has directed the authorities to revise the seniority list, placing Bakshi in accordance with his score and considering his eligibility for promotions and consequential benefits from December 24, 1998, the date when his peers were appointed.
The Tribunal has given the authorities three months to implement the order.
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