The competent authority must decide the promotion representation by a reasoned order without prejudging its merits.

The applicant, a Public Relations Assistant in the Puducherry Department of Information and Publicity, sought promotion to Assistant Director.

He stated that the DPC had found him fit, that vacancies existed, and that he had submitted a representation seeking consideration for promotion on 12 August 2026.

As he was due to retire on 30 September 2026, he sought urgent consideration.

At the hearing, however, counsel requested only a direction requiring the respondents to decide the pending representation within a fixed period.

The Tribunal allowed the application to waive the six-month appeal period and directed the Registry to number the OA.

1. Whether the competent authority should be directed to decide the applicant’s pending representation regarding promotion within a specified timeframe

2. Whether the Tribunal should determine the merits of the applicant’s promotion claim at that stage

The order cited no statute, recruitment rule, or precedent as the basis for its decision.

It applied the procedural principle that, where the relief pressed is limited to consideration of a pending representation, the competent authority may be directed to consider it and issue a speaking, well-reasoned order within a specified period.

The Tribunal expressly left the merits of the underlying claim undecided.

The applicant’s representation remained undecided, and counsel stated that a direction to dispose of it would suffice at that stage.

In view of that limited request and to meet the ends of justice, the Tribunal directed the competent authority to consider the representation and issue a speaking, well-reasoned order within three months of receiving a copy of the order.

Because the matter was disposed of on that limited basis, the Tribunal did not assess the applicant’s eligibility, seniority, fitness, or entitlement to promotion.

It expressly made no determination on the merits of the promotion claim.

The OA was disposed of at the admission stage.