PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK Vs. S K KARDAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present appeal assails the order dated 06.02.2019 passed by a Learned Single Judge of this Court whereby the Learned Single Judge has allowed the writ petition filed by the respondent and has directed the appellants herein to promote the respondent with all consequential benefits with effect from the date other officers were promoted pursuant to the DPC held in 2015.

(2.) Shorn of unnecessary details the relevant facts necessary for adjudication of the present appeal are that the respondent herein was initially appointed as a clerk-cum-cashier on 12.02.1981. He was promoted to the post of Scale I officer on 17.10.1988, Scale II officer on 20.08.1988, Scale III officer on 13.07.2004 and finally to Scale IV on 30.08.2010. The case of the respondent as set out in the writ petition was that he had an unblemished record of service to his credit throughout his service of 36 years.

(3.) A promotion policy by way of Circular No. 252 was issued on 11th March, 2015 for regulating promotions for the year 2014-15. The same policy was followed for the promotion process held for the year 2015-16 and thereafter. This policy governed the selection process from Scale IV to Scale V. As per the said policy there was only one channel of promotion from SMG Scale IV to SMG Scale V i.e. based on merit. A minimum experience of 3 years' service in Scale IV with 12 years as minimum length of service was the eligibility criteria. In addition experience of three years as Branch Head in any scale was mandatory.