HYDERABAD: A division bench comprising Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili and Justice N Rajeshwar Rao heard a batch of writ petitions challenging the allocation of 13 All India Service (AIS) officers to the state of Telangana on Tuesday. These petitions were filed by the Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India. The officers in question were earlier allocated to Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation of the state.
The Central Administrative Tribunal’s Hyderabad branch had on March 29, 2016, issued orders allocating Anjani Kumar IPS DG, Abhilasha Bhisht IPS, Sri Abhishek Mohanty IPS, D Donald Rose IAS and eight others. The bench emphasised its intention to remand the issue back to the Government of India. The court highlighted the need for a fresh consideration of the allocation between the two states. It pointed out that many officers allocated to Telangana had already completed 10 years of service, with only three years remaining.
The court expressed that the Government should allow all AIS officers involved in the matter, who were previously before the CAT, Hyderabad. The Court indicated that it would set aside the orders related to the allotment of officers, emphasising that the judiciary cannot assume the role of an appellate authority in determining the allocation among the states.
The bench further observed that if the writ petitions filed are allowed, officers could be relieved and asked to join the other state immediately. Acknowledging the tenure of most officers currently working in the state, the Court suggested that equitable orders could be passed by remanding the issue to the government for fresh examination. The batch of petitions has been adjourned till Wednesday.