The Andhra Pradesh government has been granted one final opportunity by the state's High Court to resolve the long-pending issue of employee promotions, with a new deadline set for January 20, 2024. The court's decision came after the government's top legal officer assured that a Group of Ministers (GoM) is actively considering the matter.
Government Seeks Final Chance, GoM at Work
Appearing before a division bench comprising Justices R Raghunandan Rao and TCD Sekhar, Advocate General Dammalapati Srinivas requested a four-week extension as a final chance to settle the contentious promotion issue. He informed the court that the matter is under the active consideration of a specially constituted Group of Ministers, and a final decision is awaited.
The Advocate General explained that the state government had earlier formed a committee of secretaries from concerned departments. However, the recommendations provided by this committee were unclear on a crucial point: how many supernumerary posts need to be created to facilitate promotions for all eligible employees. This ambiguity led to the formation of the ministerial group for a higher-level decision.
Contempt Petitions and Court's Summons
The hearing was related to contempt petitions filed by the Secretariat BC and OC Employees Association and others. These petitions alleged that orders from the High Court, issued back in 2018, had not been implemented by the state government.
In its 2018 directive, the High Court had instructed the state government to review the rules of reservation while granting promotions. The goal was to ensure adequate representation for all sections. Due to the perceived lack of progress, the court had recently taken a stern step by summoning the Chief Secretary and the Secretary of the Social Welfare Department to appear personally.
On Monday, Chief Secretary K Vijayanand and Principal Secretary for Social Welfare M M Nayak appeared before the bench as directed. Following the Advocate General's submission and request for time, the court decided to dispense with the further personal appearance of these senior officials.
Next Hearing and the Path Forward
Considering the government's request, the bench posted the matter for further hearing to January 20, 2024. This date now serves as a critical deadline for the state administration to arrive at a conclusive decision through the GoM and demonstrate compliance with the court's earlier orders.
The ongoing case highlights the complex challenge of balancing promotion policies with reservation rules in public employment. All eyes will now be on the Group of Ministers' deliberations, as the state government works to formulate a clear and implementable solution before the court reconvenes in January.
