Latest news with #BDPOs
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab and Haryana HC okays direct recruitment to 50% posts of BDPOs in Haryana
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld a key amendment to the Haryana Development and Panchayat Rules, 2016, dismissing two petitions that challenged the state's move to allow up to 50% of promotional quota posts for Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) to be filled by direct recruitment. The verdict, delivered on May 14 by a bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Meenakshi I. Mehta, backs the state government's decision to tackle a critical shortage of BDPOs in rural areas. The two writ petitions – CWP Nos. 2975 and 3067 of 2024 – were filed by Harish Kumar and others, and Jagdish Ram and others, all serving as Social Education and Panchayat Officers (SEPOs). They contended that the 2019 amendment unfairly restricted their promotion prospects by diverting 50% of BDPO posts from promotion to direct recruitment if eligible SEPOs were unavailable. The petitioners argued that the move violated Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. Justice Sharma, however, underscored the state's authority under Article 309 to frame and amend service rules. 'The power of the State Government to frame rules and also amend the same is absolute… Judicial review is only limited to the extent of examining the nexus and the purpose sought to be achieved,' he said. He clarified that the proviso enabling direct recruitment in place of promotion was not an override, but a necessary exception owing to the 'huge paucity of BDPOs.' Initially, the 2016 Rules mandated that 50% of BDPO posts be filled by promotion from SEPOs and the other 50% through direct recruitment. The 2019 amendment reduced the qualifying experience for promotion from 10 to 7 years and added a proviso: if no eligible SEPOs were available, promotional posts could be filled directly, with a return to promotion-based filling for future vacancies. The petitioners, appointed as SEPOs in 2021, argued that this would delay their promotion until 2028, by which time they would be eligible, since directly recruited BDPOs would occupy posts for years. They claimed this frustrated legitimate career progression. Advocate General Parvindra Singh Chauhan, representing the state, defended the amendment as a step to ensure uninterrupted rural governance. An affidavit by Secretary Dusmanta Kumar Behera revealed that of 143 sanctioned BDPO posts, only 84 were occupied, with 25 still vacant despite recruitment efforts. Rejecting the petitioners' contentions, the court observed, 'We are satisfied that sufficient reasons are available with the State Government for making the amendment… The contention regarding non-availability of posts for promotion in future is wholly misconceived.' The bench added that as BDPOs are promoted further, opportunities for SEPOs would naturally open up. The court also vacated interim stay orders and allowed the state to go ahead with the recruitment process for 37 BDPO posts, advertised on November 17, 2023. Marked non-reportable, the judgment was delivered without costs and disposed of all pending applications.
Time of India
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Ludhiana DDPO ordered to file FIRs against 4 BDPOs, 6 panchayat secys in Rs 121 crore embezzlement scam case
Ludhiana: As the Punjab rural development department suspended three officials in connection with an alleged Rs 121 crore embezzlement involving six village panchayats of Ludhiana, the administrative secretary has "ordered" the District Development Panchayat Officer (DDPO) to get an FIR registered against BDPOs and panchayat secretaries. On Monday, administrative secretary Ajit Balaji Joshi suspended block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Rupinderjit Kaur and senior executive officers (SEPOs) Simrat Kaur and Gurpreet Singh Mangat, pending further inquiry under the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970. The action followed an inquiry initiated in October 2023 by Punjab rural development and panchayats minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, after reports surfaced of suspicious withdrawals from fixed deposits meant for village development in six panchayats (Salempur, Sekhewal, Selkiana, Bounkar Gujran, Kadiana Khurd, and Dhanansu) under Ludhiana Block 2. DDPO Ludhiana Navdeep Kaur confirmed that she received a letter from the administrative secretary of the department ordering her to get an FIR registered against four BDPOs: Rupinderjit Kaur, Gurpreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh Mangat, and Simrat Kaur, and six Panchayat Secretaries: Gurmail Singh (now retired), Harpal Singh Randhawa, Bagga Singh, Jashandeep Chandel, Harpal Singh Sahjomajra, and Harjit Singh Malhotra. She added that she is writing to the Ludhiana police commissioner to register an FIR against the four officers and six Panchayat Secretaries. An official in the DDPO office said that police are expected to register a case of fraud and start a probe into the matter. The official added that the detailed probe will reveal the financial fraud by each of these officials. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Google Brain Co-Founder Andrew Ng, Recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo An official of the DDPO office further said that after they learn about the embezzlement by each of the officials involved, the recovery process will start from their personal assets. The official added that recoveries will be made from the Sarpanches of the villages who were ordered to be charge-sheeted. Those identified were Sudagar Singh (Dhanansu), Neha (Salempur), Amrik Kaur (Sekhewal), Mukhtiar Singh (Bounkar Gujran), Harpreet Kaur (Selkiana), and Rajinder Kaur (Kadiana Khurd), besides officiating Panch of Bounkar Gujran village, Gurcharan Singh. Sources in the DDPO office said that BDPOs and Panchayat Secretaries face allegations of diluting the Fixed Deposits, which they were not supposed to do, besides embezzling huge sums of public money. They added that the officials also face allegations of non-production of records and unauthorised expenditures. Sources further said that during the preliminary probe, the DDPO found a surprising case in Sekhewal village, which, as per the 2011 census, has a population of 260. However, according to the bank transaction statement, around Rs 10 crore were withdrawn from the panchayat account for development works. They added that the initial probe also discovered that nearly 58 houses were allegedly built without any departmental policy and approval by the village Dhanansu panchayat, and no record was allegedly furnished in this regard. **Box 1:** As per reports, panchayats of villages Salempur, Sekhewal, Selkiana, Bounkar Gujran, Kadiana Khurd, and Dhanansu of block Ludhiana-2 received an award of Rs 252.94 crore after the acquisition of hundreds of acres of panchayat land of these villages between the financial years 2016-17 to 2020-21. However, Rs 120.87 crore were withdrawn from this amount with the connivance of some corrupt officers and employees along with Sarpanches. Total award money in lieu of acquisition of village common land of six villages: Rs 242 crore Amount received by village (approximate): - Dhanansu: Rs 95 crore - Salempur: Rs 5 crore - Kadiana Khurd: Rs 35 crore - Sekhewal: Rs 77 crore - Selkiana: Rs 4 crore - Bounkar Gujran: Rs 25 crore **Box 2:** As per the norms, panchayats had to deposit the land acquisition compensation as a fixed deposit (FD) and execute village development works using only the interest generated from it. However, as per the report, in violation of norms, the money was withdrawn from fixed deposits. MSID:: 120551828 413 |
