CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL MUMBAI BENCH, CAMP AT NAGPUR.

ORIGINAL APPLICATION No.463/2022 Dated this Thursday the 16th day of October, 2025 Coram: Hon'ble Shri Justice M.G. Sewlikar, Member (J)

Hon'ble Shri Sangam Narain Srivastava, Member (A)

Mrs. Sangita Sanjay Paturde, Presently working as a SDE (Commercial) CSC Main at P.G.M. BSNL Amravati, R/at Eknathpuram, Behind Ambiance Show room, Near Shankar Nagar, Amravati (Mah)- 444607.

Email: sspaturde2912@gmail.com.

Mob: 9422855002. Applicant …

(By Advocate Shri S.A. Marathe)

VERSUS

1. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited, Through its Chief Managing Director, Corporate Office, Personnel Branch, 4th Floor, BSNL Bhavan, Janpath, New Delhi 110 001.

2. The Chief General Manager (Telecom), BSNL, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai – 01.

3. The General Manager Telecom BSNL, Akola – 01.

4. The General Manager Telecom (Now P.G.M.T.)

BSNL, Sanchar Bhawan, Amravati – 01.

Respondents …

(By Advocate Shri Amol Deshpande)

Order Reserved on : 21st August, 2025.

Pronounced on: 16th October, 2025.

ORDER

Per: Sangam Narain Srivastava, Member (A)

The applicant has filed this Original Application under Section 19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 seeking the following reliefs:

“8i) Quash and set aside impugned order dt. 15.02.2021 issued by the Respondent No. 1, rejecting applicant’s representations praying for grant of IDA scale upgradation from E2-E3 scale from 22.03.2013.

8.ii) hold and declare the impugned action of postponing applicants IDA grade E2-E3 scale upgradation by 2 years from 22.03.2013 to 19.04.2015 and subsequent IDA promotions belatedly is illegal.

8.iii) direct Respondent No. 1 to grant applicant IDA E2 - E3 promotion from 22.03.2013 and subsequent IDA promotion from E3- E4 grade from the date her colleague's/junior promoted and further grant all the consequential service benefits and arrears of pay with interest.

8.iv) Hold and declare the impugned order dt. 12.03.2015 issued by the respondent no.4, imposing penalty of CENSURE on the applicant is bad in law and patently illegal

8.v) And any other relief this Honourable Tribunal deems fit in the facts and circumstances of this case in the interest of justice.”

2. Facts in brief are that the applicant was appointed in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) in the year 2004. As per BSNL Epp promotion policy, an individual executive will become due for first upgradation on completion of four years of service in the current scale (from E1 to E2). The next promotion becomes due after completion of five years of service in the new scale (E2 to E3). A departmental enquiry was instituted on 29th December, 2010 and came to an end on 18th April, 2015 when a penalty of censure was awarded to the applicant. The applicant was due for promotion from E1 to E2 in the year 2008. The DPCs were held only in 2013, by which time the departmental proceedings had commenced, and therefore, the promotion from E1 to E2 was denied. On representation, the applicant was allowed upgradation w.e.f. 22nd March, 2008. The promotion from E2 to E3 grade due on 22nd March, 2013 was denied on the ground that a penalty of censure had been awarded to the applicant. She was considered in the DPC held in February, 2018, when her IDA promotion from E2 to E3 was granted w.e.f. 19th April, 2015 i.e., the date after the award of punishment.

2.2 It is the contention of the applicant that she should have been promoted w.e.f. 22nd March, 2013, the date on which she became due for IDA promotion. In this regard, the applicant has relied on the order of CAT, Jaipur Bench in the case of Chhote Lal Meena Vs. Union of India & Anr. in TA No.52/2009 (CWP 1712/2008) decided on 06th May, 2011, which was confirmed by the Hon’ble High Court of Jaipur and the SLP was dismissed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. It is her contention that being identically situated, she is entitled to get her E2 to E3 promotion from the date she became due i.e., 22nd March, 2013 and not from 19th April, 2015 i.e., the date after the punishment.

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