Team Herald
PANJIM: An affidavit filed by the State government has stated that extension in service was given to some retiring government employees because no officer in feeder grade was available who could be promoted to the post.
The affidavit has been filed by Under Secretary (Personnel) Raghuraj Faldesai to the public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by RTI activist Sudip Tamankar challenging the orders of extension granted to the retiring officers from time to time, which were against the circular issued by the government.
Faldesai in his affidavit stated that the government had inherent power to grant extension of service to its employees and that exigencies of service require that in certain cases, extension was granted or it will cause adverse consequences on the administration. He said extensions are granted for genuine administrative reasons and in public interest.
Referring to the extension given to WRD chief engineer Pramod Badami, he stated that no officer was presently eligible for promotion to the post. The two additional chief engineers were promoted in March last year and the qualifying service was of two years.
As regards to extension in service to PWD principal chief engineer Uttam Parsekar and chief engineer Santosh Mhapne, he stated that there was no officers in the feeder grade eligible for promotion to the said posts. Since the vacant posts would cause administrative problems and hurdles in the functioning of the PWD, the said officers were granted extension.
Faldesai has stated that private respondents were officers of different departments of the State government. The orders granting extension were in their respective individual facts and for reasons that relate to the concerned department/officer. The petitioner had no locus standi to maintain the petition and that only officer eligible for promotion can approach the Court, if he/she was aggrieved. Also, it is well settled that the Court will not entertain a PIL in service matter.
The matter has now been posted for further hearing on September 25.