The Bombay high court on Friday restrained the state from taking further action to remove the registrar of the Maharashtra Administrative Tribunal (MAT) from his post. MAT decides service disputes of government servants.
A division bench of justices PB Majmudar and Amjad Sayed was hearing a petition filed by Suresh Joshi who was appointed on an ad hoc basis for the smooth functioning of the tribunal. Joshi’s petition contended that since the establishment of MAT in 1991 the post has not been filled by promotion and as per seniority.
Joshi’s advocate Mihir Desai argued that Joshi has functioned excellently as registrar. “Daily harassment is going on and the chairman of MAT is facing embarrassment,” said Desai. The judges’ interim directed that Joshi be allowed to perform his duty.
Joshi joined MAT in November 1991 and was assigned additional duties of personal assistant and research officer. He was later promoted as a research officer and in 2005 he was deputy registrar. On March 2010 Joshi was promoted by the general administrative department (GAD) as registrar.
In August 2010, a notification was issued setting out the seniority list of the post of deputy registrar. The state directed cancellation of the list stating the government is the competent authority to appoint officers. GAD asked MAT to cancel Joshi’s ad hoc promotion. He then moved HC. The matter is adjourned to February 18.
