SHC ruling on confirming govt employees overturned

SHC previously mandated that recruitment of employees above grade 17 should be done through commission

KARACHI:

The Supreme Court has overturned the Sindh High Court's ruling on a case involving the regularisation of contractual and ad-hoc employees in the Sindh government.

The appeal against the subordinate court's decision was heard by a two-member bench at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry, consisting of Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.

The petitioner's counsel stated that over 2,000 employees in Grade 1 to 18 were initially hired on a contract and ad-hoc basis in Sindh. Of these, 1,600 were later made permanent in the health department alone.

The Sindh High Court had previously mandated that the recruitment of employees above grade 17 should be done through a commission.

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In 2013, the Sindh Assembly passed a law making over 2,000 employees permanent in various departments. However, the Sindh High Court declared this Act null and void.

The Supreme Court remarked that the assembly has the authority to enact laws, and SHC cannot override legislative decisions. Consequently, the Supreme Court directed the SHC to consider the arguments of all petitioners in accordance with the 2013 Act of the Sindh Assembly.

The Supreme Court overturned the SHC decision and remanded all appeals to SHC, instructing it to hear all parties involved and reconsider the petition.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 31^st, 2023