Punjab and Haryana HC stays Punjab govt’s order on IGPs demotion to DIGs

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday stayed a Punjab government order with which five officers of the rank of inspector general of police were demoted to deputy-inspectors general of police

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday stayed a Punjab government order with which five officers of the rank of inspector general of police (IGPs) were demoted to deputy inspectors-general of police (DIGs).

These three officers had challenged Punjab government orders of their reversion as DIGs. (Representational Photo (Getty Images/iStockphoto) )

The high court bench of justice Pankaj Jain passed the order in respect of three such officers, K B Singh, Surinder Kumar Kalia and Gursharan Singh Sandhu. Singh and Kalia have been superannuated, only Sandhu is currently serving. Detailed order is awaited.

These three officers had challenged Punjab government orders of their reversion as DIGs. It was argued that only reason assigned in the order passed was that their reversion was ordered so that November 2, 2018 orders of high court in a seniority dispute, are not violated.

They had argued that the seniority of the petitioners would remain unaffected even after the exercise were given effect to. As per that order only, even if the seniority is altered the serving officers viz-a-viz their rank have been protected, it was argued. The government had ordered the reversion of five IGPs.