K. BABU Vs. STATE OF TELANGANA AND ORS.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In these three writ petitions, petitioners are working as Forest Section Officers and are aspiring for promotion to the post of Deputy Range Officer. By proceedings dated 10.6.2020, juniors to the petitioners were promoted as Deputy Range Officers ignoring the petitioners. Petitioners allege that they were ignored for promotion on the ground that punishment of 'CENSURE' was imposed on them and that they are under currency of punishment. While in W.P.No.8639 of 2020, petitioner only seeks direction to consider him for promotion in the vacancy arose on 01.07.2020 due to retirement of the incumbent; in W.P.Nos.9958 and 9974 of 2020, petitioners challenge the order dated 10.06.2020 promoting their juniors and seek direction to grant them promotion on par with their juniors retrospectively with all consequential benefits. However, the crux of the issue in these three writ petitions is, what is meant by currency of punishment and when juniors to petitioners were promoted, whether petitioners were under currency of punishment. Thus, as the issue is same in all the three writ petitions, they are considered and decided by this common order.

(2.) To the extent relevant, facts as averred in the affidavits filed in support of the writ petitions are as under:

(3.) According to learned counsel for petitioners as the post of Deputy Range Officer is a non selection post, seniority alone is the criteria for consideration for promotion. Thus, the punishment of Censure does not come in the way of considering and granting promotion to petitioners. By placing reliance on the interim order of this Court in W.A.No.1158 of 2016 dated 21.11.2016, learned counsel submits that as observed by the Division Bench, after the currency of the punishment of Censure employee cannot be ignored for promotion.