Chandigarh: In a major decision affecting ministerial staff across union territory departments, the Central Administrative Tribunal ordered the Chandigarh administration to allow departmental clerks and junior assistants a fresh opportunity to join the common cadre. The tribunal ruled that inter-seniority must be determined strictly on the basis of total service length to maintain equity among staff.
The matter was brought to the tribunal by 23 clerks and junior assistants recruited under individual department rules prior to the implementation of the 2015 common cadre rules. Applicants maintained that the clubbing of vacancies under the 2019 promotion framework threatened to bypass senior personnel in favor of newer common cadre recruits.
Setting aside administrative orders issued in September 2021 that established a separate seniority list for common cadre employees, the bench declared that dual promotion channels created unfair stagnation. The tribunal affirmed that while creating a single consolidated list for all personnel across every department was not administratively feasible, offering an option to join the common cadre provided a balanced solution.
Under the court’s directions, employees who choose to opt into the common cadre will be integrated into the new seniority list based on their service duration. Personnel who decline the option will remain within their respective departmental cadres, with promotion eligibility tied to internal vacancy availability. The administration has been directed to execute the process within three months.
