The Department Counted Their Service Short. The Court Counted It Right.
Two police radio sub-inspectors were left out of promotion on the footing that they had not completed eight years of qualifying service. A Division Bench has held that they had.
The Court held the appellants must be treated as having completed the requisite eight years of qualifying service as on 1 January 2025. The Single Judge's order could not be sustained and was set aside, and the writ appeal allowed. The respondents were directed to consider them for promotion to Inspector (Radio) through the Departmental Promotion Committee, subject to other eligibility conditions and vacancies, with all consequential benefits.
- The cut-off date does the work. Everything turned on service as on 1 January 2025.
- A writ appeal can reopen a Single Judge's view of what counts as qualifying service.
- Consideration, not appointment. The direction is to the Departmental Promotion Committee.
- Consequential benefits follow, in accordance with law.
- Court
- High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur
- Citation
- 2026:CGHC:38752-
- Case
- WA No. 944 of 2025
- Decided
- September 2026
- Outcome
- Writ appeal allowed; Single Judge's order set aside and promotion consideration directed
What was in dispute
The appellants are sub-inspectors (Radio) in the State armed police, posted at a battalion and a radio training centre.
Their claim to be considered for promotion to Inspector (Radio) turned on whether they had completed eight years of qualifying service as on 1 January 2025.
A Single Judge dismissed their writ petition by an order of 10 October 2025.
What the Division Bench held
The appellants are to be treated as having completed the requisite eight years of qualifying service as on 1 January 2025.
The Single Judge's order accordingly could not be sustained and was set aside, and the writ appeal was allowed.
The respondents were directed to consider the appellants for promotion to the post of Inspector (Radio) on that footing, in accordance with the applicable Rules. That consideration is to be made by the competent Departmental Promotion Committee, subject to fulfilment of all other eligibility conditions and the availability of vacancies, with all consequential benefits.
Who argued it
Appearances as recorded in the judgment of the Court.
Frequently asked
What is qualifying service for promotion?
The service that counts towards the eligibility period under the applicable rules, computed as on the cut-off date.
Will the court promote me directly?
No. It directs the Departmental Promotion Committee to consider you, subject to other conditions and vacancies.
Contesting how your qualifying service was counted
- Fix the cut-off date the promotion list uses, and compute service to that exact day.
- Identify which periods the department excluded and on what rule; that is the dispute.
- Ask for consideration by the Departmental Promotion Committee, not for promotion itself.
- Claim consequential benefits in the prayer, or they do not follow automatically.
Source. High Court of Chhattisgarh at Bilaspur, 2026:CGHC:38752-, WA No. 944 of 2025, decided September 2026 by . This explainer is written from the judgment text as reported.
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