While hearing a contempt petition, the Supreme Court has issued notice to the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Rachna Shah (IAS:1991:KL). The contempt petition was filed by IRS officer Captain Pramod Kumar Bajaj after the DoPT allegedly failed to convene a Search-cum-Selection Committee meeting for the appointment of an IRS officer to the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT). The appointment had been repeatedly stalled for several years.
The petitioner sought the compliance of the top court’s January 30, 2026, order in which it had directed the Union Govt to consider his appointment within four weeks of the passing of an order.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta issued the notice to Shah while hearing the contempt petition for non-compliance of the top court’s order.
The petitioner claimed that he had gone through almost four selection processes, but his appointment was stalled by the government every time by allegedly framing charges against him.
The bench had rebuffed the Union Govt for deliberately blocking the appointment of the petitioner to the post of Member (Accountant), ITAT, despite his selection being recommended by a Selection Committee chaired by a sitting Supreme Court judge in 2014, where he secured All India Rank 1.
The Court had directed the DoPT to convene a fresh SCSC within four weeks, ensuring inclusion of the officer concerned, and to communicate the outcome to the petitioner within two weeks thereafter.
But the petitioner claimed that the aforesaid order was not complied with, following which the petitioner filed a contempt petition against erring officials.
Shah has been directed to file her response by April 14, 2026.
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