The Central Administrative Tribunal, Madras Bench, has directed
the Chairman–cum-Managing Director (CMD) of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited
(BSNL) to consider the case of a woman officer for promotion to the post of
Principal General Manager.
The Bench, comprising its members B. Venkateswara Rao and R.
Satapathy, also asked the BSNL to pass appropriate orders promoting Nalini S.
Rao, a Group ‘A’ officer, to the post from the date on which her juniors have
been promoted.
Ms. Nalini claimed that the promotion was denied to her whereas
her juniors had been promoted overlooking her claim. The denial of the promotion
was mainly because her overall grading in the Annual Performance Appraisal
Report (APAR) for 2008-2009 was just “good.”
According to BSNL, the benchmark grading for promotion is “very
good” and in the preceding five years from the date of convening of Departmental
Promotion Committee (DPC), she got one “good” which was below benchmark and
hence she had not been considered.
Disposing the contention made by the BSNL, the Bench said denying
promotion on the lone entry of “good” for one year appears to be harsh decision
whereas for the rest of the years she has been graded either “outstanding” or
“very good.”
“When an officer is physically fit to do her work and has also got
irreproachable integrity and ability, she cannot be said to be unfit for
promotion,” added the Bench.