Two ACS officers join following CAT orders

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 20

Two Additional Chief Secretary-rank officers Deepak Sanan and Vineet Chawdhry, who were currently on leave following their supersession at the time of appointment of VC Pharka as Chief Secretary, today finally submitted their joining following the directions from the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chandigarh.

The two officers had moved CAT seeking relief and suitable adjustment on the issue of supersession by a junior officer while appointing the new Chief Secretary.

The division bench comprising Justice MS Sullar, Member (Judicial) and Rajwant Sandhu, Member (Administrative) directed the two IAS officers to join their posts with the request for appropriate posting to the competent authority.

In addition to this, it has also been written in the order that needless to say the respondents (state government) will sympathetically consider their request. The matter will now come up for hearing on January 27, before Sanan, the seniormost IAS officer in Himachal retires in January 31, 2017. The case was adjourned for January 27 to enable the counsel for the respondents to file their replies. Interestingly, both Sanan and Chawdhry of the 1982 batch gave their joining report, addressed to the Chief Minister to the counsel of Himachal Government, immediately after the CAT hearing today. Sanan in his joining report has specified that he is submitting his joining as per the CAT directives and also mentioned the he would be interested in an appropriate postings, not under the control of the Chief Secretary.

The possible postings that Sanan has mentioned in his joining include chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB), chairman, Himachal Pradesh Small Industries Development Corporation (HPSIDC) and Principal Advisor. He has also made a plea that the appropriate orders may be issued immediately.

Chawdhry too has given his joining report and these have already been handed over to Special Secretary (Personnel), who was present in the CAT court. Sanan had currently been on medical leave while Chawdhry was on study leave.