Woman alleges bias: HC summons record on appointments in Chandigarh’s hospitality department

The court acted on the plea of one Sunita Devi, a senior assistant in the Chandigarh hospitality department, who had alleged that she was being threatened with disciplinary proceedings, only to harm her prospects of being promoted to the post of assistant director

The Punjab and Haryana high court has summoned record of amendments in recruitment rules for appointments and promotions in the hospitality department of the Chandigarh administration.

The HC bench of justice Rajbir Sehrawat summoned the entire record relating to the amendment of the rules, as well as the files dealing with each appointment and promotion of Rakesh Kumar on August 23, the next date of hearing. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The court acted on the plea of one Sunita Devi, a senior assistant in the department, who had alleged that she was being threatened with disciplinary proceedings, only to harm her prospects of being promoted to the post of assistant director, while her counterpart, Rakesh Kumar, was being favoured and rules being changed to favour him.

Taking note of the alleged manipulation of the entire machinery, including the amendment of rules and their violation only for one person, the court said some action may be required to be taken against some specific persons, in case the allegations are found to be true.

“To find out as to who are the persons involved in the process”, the HC bench of justice Rajbir Sehrawat summoned the entire record relating to the amendment of the rules, as well as the files dealing with each appointment and promotion of Kumar on August 23, the next date of hearing.

The court stayed all departmental proceedings against the petitioner till the pendency of the petition and also ordered that Kumar may not be granted any further promotion until then.

Devi’s counsel, SK Nehra, had submitted that the department had ordered recovery against her to spoil her chances of promotion, only to facilitate Kumar’s promotion. Kumar, who joined as butler, was promoted after framing of person-specific rules. Again, the rules of the next promotional cadre were changed just to suit his promotion, even as he had not even completed period of probation.

Devi has made secretary, hospitality department, UT, and director, hospitality, Rakesh Kumar Popli, as parties in the case. The specific allegations are against Popli and one, Ram Achal Yadav, who she claimed were instrumental in “favouring” Kumar.