E-Paper
HC stays extension granted to HAMETI director general by Haryana government
Listing the matter for April 4 next year, Justice Vinod Bhardwaj of the high court in his December 14 orders said the extension granted to the retired officer shall remain stayed till the next date of hearing
The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the extension granted in terms of the engagement of retired IAS officer Hardeep Singh as director general of Haryana Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institute (HAMETI).
Listing the matter for April 4 next year, Justice Vinod Bhardwaj of the high court in his December 14 orders said the extension granted to the retired officer shall remain stayed till the next date of hearing.
The former IAS officer who is facing trial after being arraigned as accused in a graft case chargesheet filed by the Haryana anti-corruption bureau (ACB) was engaged as director general of HAMETI on December 1, 2022, for a year after he retired from service on November 30, 2022. The state government on November 29, 2023, extended his tenure till November, 2024. The ACB case pertained to alleged irregularities and malpractices committed by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) in the recruitment process of the 2001 HCS and Allied Services (executive branch) Examination during the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) rule.
Hindustan Times had highlighted the Haryana government’s contentious move to engage Singh on November 25, 2022, six days before he was engaged as HAMETI director general.
Extension to Singh challenged by the officers’ association
The Haryana Agriculture Development Officers’ Association recently petitioned the high court challenging the extension granted to Singh. Counsel for the petitioner association contended that HAMETI is a registered society and as per its bylaws, a designated joint director in the state agriculture department can only be posted as its director.
The petition said notwithstanding the provisions contained in the bylaws, the government appointed a retired officer to the post of director which is contrary to the bylaws.
The petitioners said it is a settled principle of law that byelaws of the society have the force of statute and must be complied with strictly. Completely violating the bylaws, the state government designated a retired official as the director general HAMETI in December, 2022, and the engagement was extended in November 2023.
“The non-adherence to the byelaws is illegal and is causing severe prejudice to the petitioners. The post of director general at HAMETI is reserved for joint directors and the engagement of a retired officer on the post curtails their rights to be engaged on the said post.
“Also, a first information report (20 of 2005) has been registered by the ACB and therefore his continuation on the post of director HAMETI is against the administration of the affairs of the society,’’ the petitioner association contended.
