The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday granted a stay on the order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which had set aside the appointment of Punjab’s Director General of Police (DGP), Dinkar Gupta, from the top post.
Senior advocate Puneet Bali, counsel for DGP Gupta, said the High Court had stayed the CAT order.
The High Court also issued notice to the Punjab Government, the Central Government and other respondents.
The next date for the hearing has been fixed as February 26.
In its directions, the High Court also ordered the Punjab Government to file an affidavit on material that was sent to the Union Public Service Commission with regard to all the officers considered.
The Punjab Government and the DGP had on January 20 approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the CAT’s order.
On appeal filed
Last week, the CAT had set aside the appointment of Dinkar Gupta as Punjab DGP. The CAT’s decision came on an appeal filed by two Indian Police Service (IPS) officers — Mohammad Mustafa and Siddharth Chattopadhyaya. Both officers had separately moved the Tribunal last year, challenging Mr. Gupta’s appointment and seeking its quashing.
Mr. Mustafa is a 1985 batch IPS officer and Mr. Chattopadhyaya a 1986 batch officer, while Mr. Gupta is a 1987 batch officer. Mr. Gupta was appointed the DGP in 2019.
