The Orissa High Court has temporarily halted the promotion process for assistant executive engineers in the state's Works department. This development follows a challenge to the reservation-based promotions initiated by a departmental promotion committee (DPC), with the court’s reprieve affecting certain engineering groups.

Petition Against Reservation Practices:

The court's decision emerged from a petition filed by engineer Hiranmayee Nayak and four colleagues. The petitioners argue that 51 engineers from the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) were promoted not on merit but through reservation policies. They contend these roles, traditionally unreserved, were inappropriately filled in favour of reserved category candidates.

The petitioners noted that there were 38 vacant positions for ST and 26 for SC that were overlooked, as these candidates were instead promoted to the unreserved category. The petition further argues this violates established guidelines set by the SC&ST Development Department and a Supreme Court ruling from January 2022, which mandates an assessment of representation before such promotions.

Concerns Across Departments

Furthermore, the petitioners claim similar issues in other government departments such as Finance and Home. The Finance department allegedly promoted 26 officers from reserved groups to general category posts in the Odisha Finance Service, reflecting a trend across different sectors.

Legal Proceedings and Implications

Issued by Justice AK Mohapatra, the high court's ruling serves as an interim order, preventing final DPC recommendations without further judicial approval. This aims to ensure that all promotions adhere to India’s reservation policies and legal precedents.