The case of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjiv Chaturvedi’s non-empanelment at the Centre took a different direction with the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) seeking recall of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)’s earlier order. The CAT, in its order on Oct 14, had directed the DoPT to place the 360-degree appraisal guidelines on record, while hearing the case of Chaturvedi’s non-empanelment at the joint secretary level at the Centre.
The DoPT has sought recall of this order through an affidavit filed before the CAT on Dec 14.
While seeking recall, the DoPT has contended that the tribunal’s direction needs to be withdrawn, as the 360-degree appraisal guidelines fall under the jurisdiction of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and are not in the public domain. The personnel department maintained that the documents could, at best, be shown to the tribunal in a confidential or sealed-cover manner.
The DoPT had virtually produced the guidelines on Oct 14 in a sealed cover, but the CAT returned it and directed it to place the guidelines properly on record. DoPT has now sought recall of this order.
The entire controversy arose after the ACC rejected Chaturvedi’s empanelment at the joint secretary level, following which the officer approached CAT seeking directions to the Union Govt to provide records of all documents, appraisals, the expert committee report, the Civil Services Board’s recommendations, and the findings of the competent authority related to the rejection.
The DoPT had earlier told the tribunal that there was “no such system” of 360-degree appraisal for empanelment of government officials and that no such records existed.
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