Uttarakhand HC steps in, woman gets promotion pending for 4 years a day before retirement

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand's women welfare and child development department has issued an order to promote deputy director Sujata (goes by her first name only) to the post of joint director, just a day before her retirement, after receiving a warning of contempt notice from the high court (HC) over non-compliance with its earlier order.
Sujata, who had been awaiting promotion for four years, retired on Wednesday. The promotion order was issued on Tuesday after the court questioned the departmental secretary for defying its directive and asked why contempt proceedings should not be initiated. The HC had initially ordered her promotion on Sep 5, 2024, but the department had not acted on it.
In her petition, Sujata alleged that the govt was deliberately delaying her promotion. Given Sujata's imminent retirement, her counsel urged the court for urgent intervention.
During an earlier hearing, the court observed, "It has been almost six months… Prima facie, the disobedience appears to be contemptuous of the direction issued by this court. Hence, the respondent must show cause as to why the disobedience should not be made the subject of contempt proceedings."
Counsel representing the departmental secretary informed the court that in compliance with its order, the departmental promotion committee (DPC) convened on Oct 16, 2024, and approved the petitioner's promotion from deputy director to joint director.
On April 24, the court ordered, "In such view of the matter, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the state to implement the recommendation of the DPC as early as possible, but not later than April 28."
Following the directive, additional secretary Prashant Arya issued the promotion order. The division bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra subsequently disposed of the petition after the department's compliance.
Dehradun: Uttarakhand's women welfare and child development department has issued an order to promote deputy director Sujata (goes by her first name only) to the post of joint director, just a day before her retirement, after receiving a warning of contempt notice from the high court (HC) over non-compliance with its earlier order.
Sujata, who had been awaiting promotion for four years, retired on Wednesday. The promotion order was issued on Tuesday after the court questioned the departmental secretary for defying its directive and asked why contempt proceedings should not be initiated. The HC had initially ordered her promotion on Sep 5, 2024, but the department had not acted on it.
In her petition, Sujata alleged that the govt was deliberately delaying her promotion. Given Sujata's imminent retirement, her counsel urged the court for urgent intervention.
During an earlier hearing, the court observed, "It has been almost six months… Prima facie, the disobedience appears to be contemptuous of the direction issued by this court. Hence, the respondent must show cause as to why the disobedience should not be made the subject of contempt proceedings."
Counsel representing the departmental secretary informed the court that in compliance with its order, the departmental promotion committee (DPC) convened on Oct 16, 2024, and approved the petitioner's promotion from deputy director to joint director.
On April 24, the court ordered, "In such view of the matter, the writ petition is disposed of with a direction to the state to implement the recommendation of the DPC as early as possible, but not later than April 28."
Following the directive, additional secretary Prashant Arya issued the promotion order. The division bench of Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mahra subsequently disposed of the petition after the department's compliance.