Tribunal seeks UT reply on ‘cancelled’ promotions of accounts officers

The case pertains to the administration’s orders dated July 10 and July 15, through which the officers were granted upgrade from assistant controller (F&A) to deputy controller (F&A), Group A, Pay Level-10

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh bench, has issued notice to the Chandigarh administration on a plea filed by 11 serving and retired subordinate audit/accounts service or state accounts service (SAS) cadre officers challenging the administration’s sudden cancellation of their career promotions and backdated pay upgrades, alleging a lack of due process and discrimination.

The administration has accepted the notice and will now file its response before the next hearing. (HT Photo for representation)

The tribunal has given the administration three weeks to file its reply and fixed September 21 for the next hearing. The applicants’ plea for interim relief will also be considered on that date. Advocate Nidhi Sharma appeared for the applicants.

The case pertains to the administration’s orders dated July 10 and July 15, through which the officers were granted upgrade from assistant controller (F&A) to deputy controller (F&A), Group A, Pay Level-10. The benefit was initially made effective from April 26, 2023.

However, through an order dated August 6, the administration changed the effective date to July 10, 2026. Four days later, through another order, the applicants were removed from the upgraded cadre.

Challenging the move, the applicants told the tribunal that the administration could not make them suffer for its own delay of nearly three years in implementing the benefit. They also alleged that the benefit was withdrawn without any prior notice, opportunity of hearing or reasons being provided.

CAT has permitted the applicants to pursue the matter jointly and issued notice to the respondents. The administration has accepted the notice and will now file its response before the next hearing.