CENTRAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL JAMMU BENCH, JAMMU (RESERVED)

Hearing through video conferencing Original Application No. 410/2025 Reserved on: - 18.09.2025 Pronounced on: - 26.12.2025 HON’BLE MR. RAJINDER SINGH DOGRA, MEMBER (J)

HON’BLE MR. RAM MOHAN JOHRI, MEMBER (A)

Dr. Hema Gandotra, Age 46 years, D/o Sh. Vijay Kumar Gandotra, W/o Sh. Vikas Jandial, R/o 156, Main Road, New Plot, Jammu-

180002.

…Applicant (Advocate: - M.A. Bhat)

Versus

1. University of Jammu through its Registrar, Jammu-180006.

2. Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Jammu-180006.

3. Head of Department of Sociology, University of Jammu, Jammu-

180006.

4. Director, Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance Cell (DIQA), University of Jammu-180006.

5. Registrar, University of Jammu-180006.

6. Joint Registrar, Teaching Wing, University of Jammu (Member Secretary)-180006.

(Respondent No.4 to 6 Members of the Committee for Counting Past Services in certain cases)

7. Dr. Sapna Sharma, D/o Late Sh. Darshan Kumar Sharma, C/o Department of Sociology, University of Jammu, Jammu-180006.

…Respondents (Advocate:- Mr. Rajnish Raina & Mr. Rahul Pant)

ORDER Per: - Rajinder Singh Dogra, Judicial Member

1. The applicant has filed the present Original Application under Section

19 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 seeking the following reliefs: -

a) Allow the instant Original Application and may be pleased to-

b) order quashing of the Minutes of Meeting held by the respondents on 22.03.2025 and 23.03.2025 (both holidays) so far as the minutes pertain to the recommendation of the respondent No.7 for promotion(s) under CAS w.e.f.

07.08.2006; and may also be pleased to;

c) Restrain the respondents from acting upon the illegal, unconstitutional recommendation of the Committee as contained at S.No.5 of the impugned Minutes of Meeting pertaining to respondent No.7 and not to issue any final order of promotion/s in pursuance to these minutes and the recommendation contained therein regarding the promotion of the respondent No.7 and may also be pleased to;

d) Issue direction restraining the respondents No.1 to 3 from promoting the respondent No.7 over and above the applicant by ignoring the seniority of the applicant and also restraining them from conferring any illegal and undue benefit upon respondent No.7 detrimental to the rights of the applicant pursuant to Constitution of Committee for “Counting the Past Services of certain Cases” and further restraining respondent No.1 to 3 from adopting any mode, method or procedure of promotion which is aimed at unsettling the settled seniority of the applicant as against the respondent No.7 as agreed by the respondents before the Hon’ble High Court in WP(C)

No.1898/2020 and may also be pleased to—

e) Issue any other order or direction deemed just and proper in the facts and circumstances of the case.”

2. The facts of the case as averred by the applicant in her pleadings are as follows: -

a) The applicant is presently serving as an Assistant Professor (Academic Level-II) in the Department of Sociology, University of Jammu. Her grievance in the present Original Application arises out of the action of the respondent- University in constituting a Committee for “Counting of Past Services in certain cases” and the recommendations made by the said Committee in its meetings held on 22.03.2025 and 23.03.2025, whereby the past service rendered by respondent No.7, Dr. Sapna Sharma, on a tenure post has been recommended to be counted for grant of promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme (CAS) with effect from

07.08.2006.

b) Respondent No.7 was initially appointed as Lecturer (Sociology) on a tenure post for a period of two years on contractual basis vide order dated 07.08.2006, in the pre-revised pay scale of Rs. 8000-275-13500. The applicant was similarly appointed on a tenure post as Lecturer (Sociology) vide order dated 31.08.2007. Prior to her tenure appointment, the applicant had already been rendering services in the Department of Sociology on consolidated bas