SHAKEEL AKHTER
Ranchi: On the recommendation of the Jharkhand High Court, two judicial service officers have been compulsorily retired due to health reasons. The officers are Laxman Prasad and Taufiq Ahmed. The state government has issued a notification regarding their retirement, granting them three months’ salary.
Posts Held
Laxman Prasad was serving as District and Sessions Judge-cum-Special Judge (ACB) in Chaibasa. Taufiq Ahmed was posted as Under Secretary-cum-Legal Advisor in the state government’s Law Department. Both had been suffering from prolonged illness.
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Promotion Issue
Reports suggest that the High Court had recommended Taufiq Ahmed’s promotion to District Judge a few months ago. This was in line with the Supreme Court’s directive in Dharmendra Singh vs. Jharkhand High Court, which raised concerns about seniority violations in promotions of judicial officers.
Supreme Court Stay
In view of the directive, some officers were also marked for demotion. They later approached the Supreme Court, which stayed the directive in the Dharmendra Singh case. Consequently, the notification for the promotion of Taufiq Ahmed and other officers to District Judge could not be issued.
