An undertaking recorded in a 2016 contempt matter has cost the Railways a promotion notification: the Central Administrative Tribunal at Jaipur has quashed the notification dated February 16, 2023 and asked for fresh eligibility and suitability lists.
Jaipur: In a dispute over reserved category candidates being considered against unreserved posts, the Central Administrative Tribunal, Jaipur Bench, on October 19, 2026 quashed the Railways’ notification of February 16, 2023 on promotions and directed the department to prepare a fresh eligibility and suitability list [Puncham Singh v. Union of India and Others].
O.A. Nos. 308 of 2020, 370 of 2022 and 207 of 2023, reserved on September 22, 2026, were decided by a Bench of Judicial Member Ranjana Shahi and Administrative Member Lok Ranjan. Advocate Shobhit Tiwari appeared for the applicants, and Advocates M.K. Sharma, K.C. Meena, R.D. Meena, N.C. Goyal, V.D. Sharma and Arun Sharma for the Railways.
Fresh lists, no deadline
A fresh eligibility and suitability list is to be drawn up in line with the Tribunal’s order, which also quashes the notification. There is no order as to costs, and no deadline was fixed for the exercise.
The Tribunal’s reasoning on the effect of the 2016 undertaking appears at paragraph 21 of the order.
What the applicants argued
According to the applicants, the Railways had departed from an undertaking given on its behalf by the Solicitor General, Ranjit Kumar, in a letter dated September 29, 2016 filed in Contempt Petition No. 314 of 2016, so the promotion exercise could not stand.
The Railways defended the notification and the process followed.
The Railways may challenge the order in a higher forum, and nothing in this report suggests how any such challenge would fare.
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Case Title: Puncham Singh v. Union of India and Others [O.A. No. 308 of 2020 with O.A. Nos. 370 of 2022 and 207 of 2023]
Bench: Ranjana Shahi, Judicial Member, and Lok Ranjan, Administrative Member, Central Administrative Tribunal, Jaipur Bench
Date of Order: October 19, 2026 (reserved on September 22, 2026)
Appearances: Advocate Shobhit Tiwari for the applicants; Advocates M.K. Sharma, K.C. Meena, R.D. Meena, N.C. Goyal, V.D. Sharma and Arun Sharma for the Railways.