IRB petition dismissed; 2013 batch inspectors get relief
PANAJI
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by inspectors of the Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB), upholding the Bombay High Court at Goa order that had struck down a combined seniority list placing IRB inspectors above Goa Police Inspectors from the 2002 batch.
In July, the High Court had directed the State government to finalise the seniority of Police Inspectors (PIs) promoted since 2013, including those appointed on an ad-hoc basis. The order came after several law-and-order PIs filed a petition stating that they were promoted in 2013 from the post of Police Sub-Inspector (PSI) on an ad-hoc basis, while IRB inspectors were promoted on a regular basis only in 2016. They argued that since they entered the rank three years earlier, they should get higher seniority.
The petitioners also pointed out that they were recruited in 2002–03, while the IRB inspectors were recruited in 2006.
Senior advocate Nitin Sardesai told the court that the word “ad-hoc” was used only because cases related to their original PSI appointments were pending at that time. He said it was unfair to place IRB inspectors above them when they had joined the rank much later.
With the Supreme Court dismissing the petition, the service position of the PIs now stands confirmed.
Advocate Galileo Teles, who appeared for the petitioners along with Advocates Atmaram Nadkarni and Salvador Santosh Rebello, said the way was now clear for the Director General of Police to prepare a fresh seniority list as directed by the High Court.
