Illegal promotions: What law did CDA follow, apex court asks

Civic agency report says 112 show-cause notices issued, but barely half have replied.

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court on Thursday sought a report on the financial implications of out-of-turn promotions and upgradation of thousands of CDA officials during the tenures of former CDA chairmen Farkhand Iqbal and Imtiaz Inayat Elahi.

The court has also directed the civic authority to explain under what rules and regulations the alleged out-of-turn promotions and upgradation were done.

A three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Nasirul Mulk took up the suo motu case, based on a TV report, wherein it was said that various CDA officials were promoted out-of-turn between 2007 and 2012.

CDA Chairman Maroof Afzal appeared before the bench while holding a report on the issue.

The CDA has admitted in its report that certain staffers had been upgraded against various posts. The report states that on the demand of CDA union, a large number were promoted and their promotions were approved by the CDA board of directors on May 11, 2011.

It is also states that an inquiry committee was constituted on July 15 to scrutinise the upgrades, adding that 112 show-cause notices have been issued and 60 replies have been received.

“The committee has examined all the replies against show-cause notices…the process has not been completed yet,” the report states.

On the other hand, Deputy Attorney General Sohail Mahmood, who was assisting the bench, stated that the CDA did not elaborate on the upgradation of CDA officials. He also pointed out that the authority’s reply did not refer to the rules and regulations under which thousands of officials were promoted.

The bench agreed with the DAG and asked the CDA to explain under what law the officials were promoted. The bench has also accepted an application filed by a CDA labour union to be made party to the case. The hearing was adjourned till first week of January.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 28^th, 2014.