ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Monday sought reply from establishment division on a petition challenging the promotions of government officers under Civil Servants Rules, 2019.
In this regard, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Lubna Saleem Pervaiz conducted hearing on a petition filed by officers of Federal Board of Revenue, Customs Department, Central Board of Revenue, and police challenging the recommendations of the central selection board for promotions of bureaucrats under new rules.
The court sought assistance from the federal government on several legal points pertaining to the matter.
During the course of proceeding, the court asked that under which law the central selection board had been given discretionary powers for 30 numbers and if the discretionary power met the standard of justice and fairness.
The court asked that if the discretionary numbers could be given to someone on the basis of board members’ likes and dislikes.
The petitioner’s counsel Abdul Raheem Bhati advocate claimed that the civil servant rules were contradicting with the orders of the top court. The officers ranging BPS-18 to BPS-21 were being affected by these new rules.
The court sought jointly written arguments from lawyers of petitioners while seeking legal assistance from the government on several points till May 7.
