Punjab warns officials against de-reserving posts

The Punjab government has issued strict directives against de-reserving posts of reserved categories and converting these to other categories, an official spokesman said Sunday.

All departments in the state government have been directed not to do this without securing prior approval from the welfare department's reservation cell.

In a communique to all heads of departments (HoDs), divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, registrar of Punjab and Haryana High Court, all sessions' judges and sub-divisional magistrates, the state government has clarified that the filling of vacant posts of reserved categories from other categories without approval would lead to a strict disciplinary action.

"If the posts reserved for SCs/BCs (Scheduled Castes/Backward Classes) were lying vacant due to non-availability of qualified SC/BC category candidates, then the posts could not be de-reserved without getting prior approval from reservation cell of welfare department," the letter said.

Punjab Welfare Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said impartial and proper implementation of the reservation policy was constitutional responsibility of all departments and erring officers would have to face action if they failed to do this.

The departments have been told that if there was non-availability of eligible candidates from reserved categories, the department concerned would send a detailed dossier of proposed conversion of posts explaining that why these posts could not be filled from reserved categories, despite efforts.

"It has been observed that some departments were violating the reservation laws and taking decisions in this regard at their own level without getting permission from reservation cell. The state government has taken a serious note in this regard as it affects the interests of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes," the spokesman said.

He added that in case of any violation of the instructions, strict action would be initiated against the erring officers who failed to implement the state's reservation policy in true spirit.