Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 12: Jammu and Kashmir High Court today pulled up the Commissioner Secretary Public Works Department for showing disregard to the observations made by the court on promotions and stopgap arrangements adopted by the department for various engineering posts.
Expressing its displeasure and concern toward PWD, a Division Bench of High Court comprising Justice Hasnain Masoodi and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur today directed the Commissioner Secretary to explain the disregard shown to such observations by or before the next date of hearing.
“We record our displeasure for brazen violations made by the department from time to time while dealing with the grievance regarding stop-gap and incharge promotions (of engineering posts),” the court observed, adding, it was a matter of concern that the Commissioner Secretary, oblivious to disapproval recorded by the court in various writ petitions from time to time regarding the need to end adhocism, avoid stop-gap promotions and make promotions on sustentative basis, continues to make such promotions.
Earlier last month, the court had directed the department to file the latest status and issued notice to the Chief Secretary, Commissioner Secretary PWD and Public Service Commission on the regular process followed in the appointments of engineers, including Senior Engineers and Chief Engineers.
“Status report filed is disappointing in as much as no concrete steps appear to have been taken to end adhocism in the department,” the Bench observed today.
The court is hearing an appeal filed by some engineers who were demoted from in-charge SEs to their original posts on the court orders last year.
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