SC/ST officials can't write ACRs of juniors: High Court

Rajasthan high court on Tuesday restricted the reserved category officials, who have been promoted through reservation, from filling in the annual confidential report (ACR) of their junior general category officials of the state government. Court has also issued a show cause notice to principal secretary, department of personnel, principal secretary PWD and chief engineer of the PWD. The court made the decision following a petition filed by Rajeev Garg, a PWD employee and Samta Anodolan Samiti and others. During the court proceedings it was told that the Supreme Court (SC) in December last year quashed the Rajasthan government's notification, which provided reservation in promotion to SC/ST officers in government service. Since then, the government employees of non-reserved category have been demanding the state government to implement the apex court's order.

The petitions contended that candidates and officials of the reserved class who have been promoted in departments like PWD and others are due to be reverted back. But still they are filling ACRs of the general category candidates with "malice to spoil their future", the petitions submitted. Therefore, they should be prohibited from filling the ACRs of of the general category staff, the petitions pleaded. After hearing the parties, Justice Bhandari directed the Department of Personnal and the PWD to ensure that no such reserve category official who is likely to be reverted back fills the ACRs.