Jaipur: Rajasthan high court restrained authorities from making further promotions based on a disputed seniority list in a service matter concerning the post of helper and meter reader.A single judge bench of Justice Anand Sharma, in the order on March 9, directed that no further promotions shall be made pursuant to the seniority list dated June 23, 2014, until further orders. The direction came while hearing a writ petition filed by Vishnu Agarwal, who challenged the promotion of certain employees allegedly made on the basis of an incorrect seniority list. C P Sharma, counsel for the petitioner, argued that the petitioner was initially engaged as a work-charged employee under the 1964 Rules, and his services were subsequently regularised on the post of helper with effect from Jan 1, 1999, under a govt scheme. Following regularisation, he claimed entitlement to all regular service benefits, including seniority from the same date. The petitioner submitted that some private respondents were directly recruited as helpers in 2005, and in the initial seniority list he was shown senior to them. “However, the dept later allegedly bifurcated the seniority list by separating employees regularised on the post of helper from those directly recruited, which resulted in promotions being granted to certain junior employees to the post of meter reader,” Sharma said. The issue was earlier raised before the Rajasthan Civil Services Appellate Tribunal, where the tribunal in January 2022 held that employees granted permanent status and regularised in service should be treated at par with other regular employees. It directed the authorities to prepare a consolidated seniority list instead of maintaining separate lists. Despite the earlier ruling, the petitioner contended that the department again granted promotions to certain respondents on the basis of the bifurcated seniority list. The HC observed that the matter requires consideration and issued notices to the respondents. As an interim measure, the court ordered that no promotions be made on the basis of the 2014 seniority list, effectively maintaining the status quo in the dispute.
