In a significant order, the Madras Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chennai has struck down the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) elevation given to D Jagannathan, who is currently the Namakkal Collector, stating that the promotion was not done in a fair manner.
“Non-placement of all records relating to Jagannathan before the Selection Panel by the State government vitiates the selection. Therefore the selection was not done in a fair and objective and impartial manner,” the order said.
The directions were passed in an application filed by S Sattanathan, a State Civil Service officer, by the bench comprising of Judicial Member B Venkateswara Rao and Administrative Member P Prabhakaran.
The bench also ordered the Selection Committee overseeing the promotions to reconsider both the cases of Sattanathan and Jagannathan and pass orders by assessing their merit in an objective manner.
According to the application, Sattanathan said in 2009, four persons were recommended for IAS promotion from the non-State Civil Service category by the State Government. This included the petitioner and Jagannathan.
Sattanathan contended that though he was senior to Jagannathan and had received high ratings in all assessments, he was overlooked for the promotion and it was accorded to Jagannathan.
Lawyer for Sattanathan, PVS Giridhar, argued that Jagannathan had misled the selection process.
Meanwhile, Jagannathan was selected for promotion as IAS officer in 2010.