India
Chunni Lal Sharma was wrongly denied the promotion to the IPS despite his entitlement since 1977, said the Supreme Court. He passed away in 2015.
The Supreme Court has declared a deceased cop from Himachal Pradesh an IPS officer, 4 years after he passed away.
The apex court decided on the petition filed by the police officer Chunni Lal Sharma’s widow and declared him promoted and entitled to all the benefits as an IPS.
The bench, which took the decision was head by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.
Moreover, the apex court also slapped a penalty of Rs 5 lakh each on the Himachal Pradesh government and the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for causing harassment to the officer who kept fighting for his promotion. Sharma’s promotion was due 42 years ago.
Even after Sharma’s, his widow was harassed repeatedly when she started fighting for his rights.
"The entire exercise undertaken and the litigations that resulted were wholly avoidable and unnecessary, had due vigilance, care and caution been exercised by the State as well as the Public Service Commission," said the bench, as reported.
The bench clarified that Sharma was wrongly denied the promotion to the IPS despite his entitlement since 1977. He passed away in 2015.
"Instead what had happened is a complete lack of oversight on the part of the State as well as the Public Service Commission in taking note of the fact that the Selection Committee in its meeting dated 29th December, 1981, had recommended the case of late Chunni Lal Sharma for promotion to the Indian Police Service and they also fixed his seniority," added the court, as reported.
The authorities have been given four weeks for granting all consequential reliefs in terms of pay, increments, pension and other retiral benefits from 1977 to Sharma’s widow.
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