Tribunal directs disposal of pending representations for promotion through reasoned and speaking orders within two months.

The fourteen applicants are Senior Chemists serving at various regional offices of the Geological Survey of India (GSI)

The applicants contended that they became eligible for promotion to the post of Superintending Chemist around the year 2020

Although vacancies for the said post are available, the respondents have yet to convene a Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC)

The applicants submitted several representations to the respondents regarding their promotion, which remained undecided as of the date of the hearing

Consequently, the applicants approached the Tribunal seeking a direction for the disposal of these representations.

Whether the Tribunal should direct the respondents to decide the pending representations regarding the promotion of the applicants to the post of Superintending Chemist

The Tribunal followed the administrative law principle that requires competent authorities to dispose of personnel representations through "reasoned and speaking orders" within a reasonable timeframe

This ensures administrative accountability and adheres to the principles of natural justice, specifically the right of an employee to have their service-related grievances considered by the employer in accordance with law

The Tribunal declined to delve into the substantive merits of the applicants' eligibility for promotion or the reasons for the delay in convening the DPC

Instead, the court focused on the procedural stalemate created by the respondents' silence on the applicants' representations.

Upon the applicants' submission that they would be satisfied with a time-bound direction for the disposal of their grievances, the Tribunal found it appropriate to exercise its jurisdiction to mandate a decision

By directing the passing of a "reasoned and speaking order," the Tribunal ensured that the respondents must provide a legal and factual basis for their eventual decision, thereby facilitating potential future judicial review if the merits remain contested

Regarding the main OA, the Tribunal directed Respondent Nos. 1 and 2 to consider and decide the applicants' pending representations by passing a reasoned and speaking order, in accordance with the law, within two months of receiving the order

The OA was disposed of with no order as to costs