CUTTACK: Odisha Administrative Tribunal (OAT), Cuttack bench, on Thursday passed an order for maintaining status quo on the revision of 336 Assistant Sub Inspectors (ASIs) to the rank of constable. The move of OAT came in response to a petition filed by ASI Susant Kumar Sethy challenging the decision of Home Department in respect of reversion of 336 promoted constables.
As per reports, as many as 336 constables were allowed promotion to rank of ASI in 2015. However, alleging gross irregularities in selection procedure for promotion, Upendra Gochhayat, Jibananda Behera, Sudam Suna, Jugal Kishore Sethy and others had filed a writ petition in High Court.
After hearing the writ petition, High Court had directed police headquarters to conduct a probe into the alleged irregularities in the promotion process following which, police headquarters on August 16 had demoted all the 336 officiating ASIs to their earlier rank of constable at their respective districts from where they were allowed promotion.
Challenging the move of State Police Headquarters in reverting them to the post of constables, Sethy had knocked the doors of the OAT with a request to quash the impugned departmental decision, stay the order of reversion and allow him to continue in the present posting as an interim measure.
Acting Chairman, OAT, BK Dash, has also issued notices to all authorities concerned in Home Department and State police headquarters to file counter within stipulated time period with a direction for posting the case to third week of September.