Chandigarh, August 27: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday put a stop to the process of filling the vacant post of Secretary in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), less than a month after the seat fell vacant due to the incumbent’s retirement.
Justice Sandeep Moudgil issued a notice of motion to the BBMB and other respondents and ordered a stay on further proceedings arising out of a July 25 communication inviting applications for the post. The bench also stayed the operation of another order that constituted a search-cum-selection committee, allegedly without the approval of the board.
The directions came during the hearing of a petition filed by Ramandeep Singh Bains and others. The petitioners, represented by advocates R.S. Randhawa, Tarranum Madan and Ravinder Kaur, contended that the proposal to invite applications had not been approved by the board as required under Rule 9 of the BBMB Rules, 1974, but was instead pending only with the chairman. They argued that this rendered the move procedurally invalid.
Senior advocate Rajesh Garg, assisted by counsel Neha Matharoo, appeared for the BBMB and sought time to respond to the petition. The court allowed the request, granting one week to file a reply with an advance copy to the petitioners’ counsel.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on September 10.
