HC Advocate questions eligibility of 18 HCS officers designated as AROs; writes to ECI
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, April 29, 2024: Hemant Kumar, advocate in Punjab and Haryana High Court has questioned the eligibility of 18 HCS officers designated as Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) in Haryana.
Hemant Kumar, an Advocate at Punjab and Haryana High Court, Chandigarh firstly on 10 April 2024 sent an email communication to ECI, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Haryana & State Chief Secretary & 10 Deputy Commissioners ( DCs) who are designated
Returning Officers (ROs) in respect of concerned 10 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) bringing to their notice the fact that as on date, a dozen and a half (read eighteen-18) officers in the cadre of HCS (EB) posted as SDO(C) in various Sub-Divisions in the State of Haryana and who have been ex-officio designated as AROs by the ECI don't fulfill the benchmark of having minimum five years of service in HCS (EB) Cadre as required for posting as SDO(Civil) as per prevalent Cadre Strength and Composition Order issued by the Haryana Government. Unfortunately, no action has been taken till date to replace them with eligible HCS officers till date.
The Advocate has once again written to ECI exhorting it to wisely take an urgent call to intervene in this matter and make a conscious and wise decision so as to ensure posting of eligible HCS(EB) cadre officers with minimum five years of service in the cadre as SDO(Civil) in the aforementioned 18 Sub-Divisions in the State of Haryana who in turn are the designated Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) with regard to respective Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) in the State of Haryana.
The Advocate revealed that as of today, a total of 21 HCS Officers who are of 2020 Batch are posted as SDO(C) viz. Mohit Kumar at Hansi Sub-Division, Darshan Yadav (Manesar), Harbir Singh (Bhiwani), Jyoti (Israna), Amit Kumar-II (Sonipat), Mayank Bhardwaj (Nangal Chaudhary), Jai Parkash (Radaur), Ravindra Malik (Beri), Prateek Hooda (Tohana) Pulkit Malhotra (Shahbad), Amit Mann (Badkhal), Abhay Singh Jangra (Dabwali), Amit (Samalkha), Amit Kumar- III (Loharu), Ajay Singh (Julana), Rajesh Kumar Soni (Gharaunda), Aman Kumar (Pehowa), Gaurav Chauhan (Panchkula), Naseeb Kumar (Ladwa), Gulzar Malik (Uchana Kalan) and Devendra Sharma (Bilaspur).
Out of aforementioned 21 HCS officers of 2020 batch posted as SDO(C) 18 (i.e. except those posted at 3 Sub-Divisions viz. Manesar, Julana and Nangal Chaudhary) AROs designed by the ECI in February this year.
Hemant asserted that there is no denying the fact that the posting and transfer of officers is the prerogative of the Competent Authority ( in case of HCS officers, its the State Government in the Personnel & Training Department which comes directly under Chief Minister/Chief Secretary). However, the HCS Cadre Strength and Composition Order as issued by then Chief Secretary, Haryana in October 2020 and which is even applicable today (since it has not been amended/modified till date) the posts of SDO(C) are shown therein under the head of Senior Scale/Selection Grade (5-15 years of service) i.e. HCS-EB Service.