HC stays KAT order on appointment of engineers

The Karnataka High Court has stayed the order of the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) directing the state government to redo and publish a new list with regard to the appointment of 417 assistant / junior engineers after reducing the grace marks given to them from 30 to 15.

The state government had appointed 417 assistant/junior engineers in 1993-94, on contract basis in Upper Krishna project area (Kalaburagi, Vijayapura, Raichur, Bidar and Ballari) and on an ad-hoc basis outside it.

Their services were regularised in 2002 under the Karnataka Civil Services (Absorption of Assistant Engineers and Junior Engineers on Contract Basis and on Ad-hoc Basis in Water Resources Services) (Special) Rules - 2002.

Later, the unemployed engineers had challenged the absorption in KAT in 2003 following which the tribunal had upheld the regularisation in 2010. Subsequently, the high court, in December 2012, declared the regularisation unconstitutional under Articles 16(3), 14 and 16 of the Constitution.

In 2012, the high court division bench ordered for new appointments through KPSC for these posts. It was again challenged before KAT, following which the tribunal directed the state to publish a new list with regard to the appointment of 417 assistant/junior engineers after reducing the grace marks given to them from 30 to 15.

This was challenged before the high court, which has stayed the latest KAT order.