CHAIRMAN, TELECOM COMMISSION AND THE DIRECTOR (EW), DEPARTMENT OF TELECOM SERVICES Vs. M ARULMANI AND ORS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition is filed against the order dated 20-3-2002 passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal, Chennai Bench (in short 'the Tribunal') in O.A. No. 1266 of 2000.

(2.) The said original application was filed by the first respondent herein challenging the order dated 9-8-2000 issued by the Telecom Department. The grievance of the first respondent was that while his juniors were given the regular promotion in the grade of Executive Engineer, he was denied.

(3.) The first respondent joined the Group B services of the Telecom Department in the year 1982 and he was promoted to the post of Executive Engineer on ad hoc basis with effect from 17-12-1992. The first respondent belongs to Scheduled Caste community. The first respondent claims that as per the Posts and Telegraphs Civil Engineering (Electrical) (Gazetted Officers) Recruitment Rules, 1975, he became eligible to be promoted as Executive Engineer on completion of eight years of service as Assistant Engineer. In the seniority list published by the Department on 9-1-1998, the first respondent's name was placed at Sr. No. 54. On 9-8-2000, the Department issued an order for regular promotion to the grade of Executive Engineers from the Assistant Engineers. The first respondent was not considered for regular promotion to the post of Executive Engineer. The first repsondent complained that his seniority was overlooked and the officers who were junior to him were given promotion. Aggrieved, the first respondent has filed the above said original application before the Tribunal challenging the order dated 9-8-2000 passed by the Department.