CAT Srinagar Orders J&K Government to Give Full Service Benefits to Retired Officer After 20 Years
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In a major relief to a retired government officer, the Srinagar Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to provide full service benefits, including seniority, promotions, and induction into administrative services. The Tribunal also quashed a government order from 2018 that had denied him these rights.
The case was filed by a 70-year-old retired officer who had served the government for decades. He argued that a High Court judgment passed in 2012 and reiterated in 2013 clearly directed the government to give him full credit for his entire service — including the years he worked in the Forest Department before joining the Revenue Department. However, the administration had only given him pension benefits, ignoring other key aspects like seniority and promotion.
Tribunal Finds Government Ignored High Court Orders
The Tribunal, led by members D.S. Mahra and Prasant Kumar, noted that the High Court’s directions were not limited to pension alone. Instead, they clearly included recognition of past service with all benefits, such as seniority, promotion, and entry into administrative ranks. The Tribunal pointed out that the government had failed to fully comply with these judicial orders for over a decade.
The CAT also criticized the government for not honoring the High Court’s verdicts and for issuing a flawed order in 2018 that failed to implement the court’s decision in its full spirit. The Tribunal ruled this order invalid and ordered the government to issue a fresh, reasoned decision granting all the benefits the officer is entitled to, as per law.
Background of the Case
The officer had joined government service in 1960 and initially worked in the Forest Department, where he rose to the rank of Forest Ranger. Later that same year, he was transferred to the Revenue Department and was appointed as a Naib Tehsildar through a proper departmental process.
However, after the transfer, the government did not count his Forest Department service when calculating his seniority or eligibility for promotions in the new department. This led to a long legal battle.
High Court Had Already Ruled in His Favour
In 2012, the High Court ruled in his favour, directing the administration to count his entire service period and grant him all the related benefits. In 2013, the court repeated its order and warned that any delay in compliance would be at the officials’ own risk. Yet, for years, the government limited its response to pension benefits only, ignoring key components of the judgment.
Tribunal’s Final Direction
The Tribunal has now firmly told the government to implement the High Court’s ruling completely and correctly. It has ordered the authorities to release all benefits, including seniority, promotion, and proper induction into administrative services, by issuing a formal and well-reasoned order in line with legal requirements.
