HC stay on sainik welfare officer?s reappointment

DESPITE MADHYA Pradesh High Court?s interim stay on reappointment of Lt Col S C Dixit as district sainik welfare officer, the State Government appears in no mood to relieve him.

DESPITE MADHYA Pradesh High Court’s interim stay on reappointment of Lt Col S C Dixit as district sainik welfare officer, the State Government appears in no mood to relieve him.

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Lt Col Neerav Bhatnagar, on whose petition the court granted stay, decries he has met all the top people in the State Government from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan downward but none seems bothered about sanctity of the court order.

Bhatnagar had been appointed as Bhopal district sainik welfare officer through a home department order on October 24 last but when he went on February 16 this year to take the charge he was told about cancellation of his appointment. No ground was ascribed for cancellation of the order, he claimed in the petition.

An anguished Bhatnagar moved the court and got stay on the appointment of Lt Col S C Dixit. However, when he showed copy of the court order to the Home Department authorities he was told that the legal position arising out of the order was being examined by the law department.

According to Ministry of Defense guidelines, the appointment on the post would be for a period of two years and extendable up to six years or 60 years of age whichever is earlier.

However, Lt Col Dixit is already working as district sainik welfare officer since 1996 and was scheduled to retire on February 16 2006, the day on which Bhatnagar was asked to join.

When contacted, senior officials of Home Department admitted that order for appointment of Bhatnagar was cancelled on February 15, 2006 and he had also got a stay from the High Court. They however, parried the question as to why a 62-years old officer was reappointed on the post. “We are also seeking the opinion of law department on the issue,” they added