CAT asks authorities to take call on disengaged SPOs’ representations

Srinagar, Sep 12: The Central Administrative Tribunal in Srinagar (CAT) in Srinagar has asked the competent authority in government to consider representations filed by 10 persons who have been disengaged from their services as Special Police Officers (SPOs). Deciding a plea by Tariq Ahmad Khandey and others, a bench of M S Latif, Member (Judicial) asked the authorities to pass a speaking order within 8 weeks from the date a copy of its order is served upon them.

The aggrieved disengaged SPOs through their counsel P S Ahmad had sought court’s intervention to quash the action of disengagement of the SPOs from their services.

“If the applicants had to be disengaged, a proper procedure ought to have been followed”, he said. The SPOs have been disengaged on account of the alleged absence from the duties, according to their plea.

Moreover, he submitted that though no formal disengagement orders have been issued against the applicants and they have filed as many as 15 representations before the competent authority but the same have not been disposed of.

While deciding the disengaged SPOs’ plea, the tribunal made it clear that the court would not like to interfere in maintenance of discipline by the respondents particularly to uphold the ethos of the Police Department, saying what is expected from a Police Constable or an SPO is dedication towards his duties. “But at the same time, the competent authority cannot resort to an arbitrary, illegal and unfair manner, what he is expected is to follow the due process of law which as stated by counsel for the applicants has not been done in the instant case”, the tribunal said.