In another setback for the Gujarat government, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the special leave petition (SLP) filed by the state government against the Delhi high court’s move permitting the promotion of IPS officer Kuldeep Sharma.
In November 2012, within a record time of 12 hours following the decision of the high court, the Narendra Modi-led government had filed the SLP. The apex court dismissed the plea on Monday even before it was listed.
Sources familiar with the development said that the state government wanted the Delhi high court to forbid the Union government from promoting Sharma, from the rank of additional director general of police to director general of police.
A division bench of Justice Badar Durrez Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul, on November 8, 2012, allowed the Centre’s move to promote Sharma, whose annual confidential report (ACR) was allegedly downgraded by the state government. The bench, however, stated that his promotion would be subject to the final orders passed in the main writ petition. The matter is still pending in the high court.
The high court’s decision followed an appeal by the state government challenging an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal's (CAT), which allowed Sharma's deputation to the central government. Paving the way for his promotion, CAT raised his grading in the ACR.
