Restoration of seniority is constitutional right of affected officers: SC

ISLAMABAD
Supreme Court (SC) has maintained restoration of seniority is constitutional right of affected offices which cannot be overlooked. The SC has announced the decision in regard to case pertaining to seniority of Sindh police officers.
A 3-member bench of SC presided over by justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar announced the decision after reviewing the case in details. The court maintained restoration of seniority is constitutional right of aggrieved officers which cannot be ignored.
The SC while rejecting appeal pleas filed in regard to seniority of Sindh police officers upheld the Sindh Service Tribunal decision.
The SC made it clear in its decision that the order for keeping the seniority prior to 2019 restored is correct.
All the appeals filed by government of Sindh are dismissed.
The court also maintained as a result of restoration of seniority , the affected officers will be entitled to timely promotion because seniority is basic stage in the service structure;
According to decision the case pertained to the seniority of assistant sub inspectors who were employed in 1990 and were sacked on political basis in 1991.
The SC while referring to record said that then IG Sindh had reinstated officers in service from the date of their initial appointment.
It was further said in the decision financial benefits were not given to the officers at the time of their reinstatement. However it was ordered that their original seniority be kept intact. Later date of appointment of the officers was changed in the seniority list of 2019. Even show cause notice was not issued to aggrieved officers before changing the seniority which runs contrary to law.
It is pertinent to mention here Sindh government had requested the court the seniority of officers be linked to the appointments related to 1991 and 1992 instead of 1990.
However Sindh Service Tribunal while declaring 2019 seniority list illegal had ordered to restore seniority of officers from 1990 which was declared in order by the SC.