The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Quota Act may affect many senior engineers

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Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Quota Act may affect many senior engineers

Sharath S. Srivatsa

They seek status quo on the move till SC delivers verdict on Act

Their action comes in the wake of moves to introduce reservation in promotions
137 Public Works and Water Resources engineers promoted in May 2007, April 2002

BANGALORE: More than 100 senior engineers from the Public Works and Water Resources departments in the State may be demoted if the Government applies a reservation Act, also called Karnataka Act 10, 2002.

Angered by the possible loss of position, the engineers have sent legal notice to Chief Secretary S. Sudhakar Rao, urging the Government to maintain status quo till the Supreme Court delivers its judgment on the validity of the Act.

The notice sent to R.B. Agawani, Principal Secretary, Public Works Department, comes amidst moves to introduce consequential seniority (reservation in promotions) in all cadres by the Government under the Karnataka Determination of Seniority of the Government Servants promoted on the basis of Reservation (to the Post in the Civil Services of the State) Act, 2002, also known as Karnataka Act 10.

This move, a senior official said, could lead to loss of position of engineers who had been promoted. Sources said 35 engineers, who were promoted as chief engineers and 65 as superintendent engineers in the Public Works and Water Resources departments during May 2007, were likely to be demoted. Thirty-seven executive engineers, who were promoted in April 2002, were likely to be affected. The notice sent to the Chief Secretary by S. Mruthunjaya, retired Chief Engineer of Agriculture Marketing Department, has referred to cases pending in the Supreme Court. Mr. Mruthunjaya has sought directions to the authorities to restrain from taking steps to withdraw the final seniority list of superintending engineers and chief engineers till the Supreme Court and KAT deliver rulings.

The Law Department has stated that the provisional list of assistant executive engineers can be finalised on the basis of Karnataka Act 10, 2002. However, it has said that while finalising the list, a note can be included stating that the list is subject to the final order of the Supreme Court. Officials said there was no need to prepare a fresh list that was subject to the Supreme Court order as the earlier list of promotions was also based on the order of the apex court.

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