The Central Government has once again changed its stand in the matter of non-inclusion of Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi of Uttarakhand cadre in the panel for the post of Joint Secretary at the Centre. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India, has filed an affidavit in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in this matter and has requested to withdraw its earlier order of October 14, 2024.
Demand to withdraw the order of October 14
In its October 14 order, the tribunal had directed DoPT to place on record the guidelines related to 360 degree assessment or Multi Source Feedback (MSF). Now DoPT says that these guidelines come under the purview of the committee and cannot be made a part of public record, but can only be shown confidentially to the tribunal.
Advocate told Centre’s ‘U-turn’
IFS Sanjeev Chaturvedi’s advocate Sudarshan Garg has termed it as another ‘U-turn’ of the Central Government. He said that DoPT has already disclosed the entire process of 360 degree appraisal before the parliamentary committee.
Information has been given before the parliamentary committee
According to Garg, the DoPT Secretary had told the Parliamentary Committee that in empanelment for the post of Joint Secretary or above, feedback is taken from senior, junior, peers, external stakeholders and the concerned Secretary. In this, loyalty, efficiency, behaviour, ability and expertise are evaluated.
Questions raised on sealed envelope
Garg raised the question that when complete information about this system had been given to the parliamentary committee six years ago, then what was the point in keeping it in a sealed envelope now. He called it a strange and contradictory stance.
Questions have already been raised on 360 degree appraisal
It is noteworthy that on August 10, 2017, the Parliamentary Committee on Personnel and Training had reviewed the 360 degree appraisal system in its 92nd report. The committee had described it as opaque and subjective and had also expressed apprehension that there remains a possibility of manipulation in it.
DoPT’s stance has changed earlier also
Earlier on October 9, 2023, DoPT had said in the affidavit filed in CAT that no such system exists in the Central Government and hence no record is available. At the same time, during the hearing on May 23, 2024, DoPT’s advocate had said that due to MSF provisions, documents related to Chaturvedi’s empanelment cannot be shared. The Centre’s changing stance in this entire matter has deepened the controversy.
