CAT gives two weeks time to CS to comply with instructions regarding posting of IFS officers

A Santi Kumari Photo credit: Subyendu Ganguly 10328@Hyderabad

The Bench of Central Administrative Tribunal-Hyderabad (Telangana) Chief Secretary A. Santi Kumari has been given two weeks ‘as a last chance’ to comply with the order to post IFS officer Ratnakar Johari.

The CS will have to appear before the tribunal on January 9, 2025, if the order is not complied with, the bench said. The bench consisting of members of the tribunal, Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi (Administrative) and Lata Basavaraj Patne (Judiciary) issued an order for contempt of court on the original petition filed by the IFS officer till January 9.

A 1994 batch IFS officer, Mr. Johari was allotted to the undivided Andhra Pradesh state cadre. By 2014 when the separate state of Telangana was formed, he became the Chief Conservator of Forests and opted for the Telangana cadre. However, the government kept him in the AP cadre.

Challenging this, he moved to CAT in 2016. Six years later, the CAT passed an order allotting the officer to the AP cadre and reallocating him to the Telangana cadre. As the Telangana government did not make any posting to the officer, the latter filed another application before the CAT in 2024.

The CAT in its order showed that the Central Government did not comply with its order by not assigning any post to the officer despite the clear direction of the Central Government.

“On the contrary, they passed certain directions on October 25 which are nothing but willful disobedience of the order of this tribunal,” the CAT order said. Thereafter, the bench issued a contempt notice to the CS. Questioning the order, the CS approached the High Court by filing a writ petition which was ultimately dismissed.

Although the IFS officer reported to the office of the CS in April 2024, no promotion was given. He has not even received his salary till date. “This shows complete disregard for the order of the tribunal,” by the CS, the bench said. CS did not appear before the bench on December 19 despite special instructions.

The CS had made various requests to excuse her from attending the assembly meeting and the President’s visit, saying that she was busy. The bench said it was not satisfied with the appeal filed by the CS and dismissed it.