Even though the post does not exist, there have been large-scale promotions in the PWD department. Out of 98 officials, Junior Engineers (JEs) and Technical Assistants (TAs) were promoted to Assistant Engineers (AEs) — 49 from regular service and 49 from ad-hoc service. Ad-hoc promotions are meant to be given only in rare cases and for urgent work needs. Such ad-hoc service cannot be counted when fixing an employee’s seniority.
There are also allegations of bias in the promotion of AEs in the PWD, with claims of favouritism and irregular promotions. The state government should look into this matter and ensure justice to those who were left out, even after completing more than 13 years of regular service.
These mass promotions raise questions and may even point to a major scam. Promotions must be fair and free from bias, in line with Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India. Government employees in other departments are also facing delays and frustration in getting promotions, despite their willingness and readiness to move forward.
