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Seniority of a Civil Servant under the Civil Servant Act and Rules



Introduction:

Seniority is in fact a right which is attached with the rights of appointment at the time of Service and this right if infringed not only the Government is bound to rectify but also the aggrieved person is also entitle to adopt due process of law for rectification.

The right of Seniority directly flows from the declaration that the selection of the incumbent (the holder of an office) is competent, complete and that he is also entitled to be included into the Services on successfully completion of course of training.

 

Meaning of Seniority:

The word Seniority means older, superior in rank, or standing etc.

The expressions Seniority has not been defined by the Civil Servants Act 1973, So it may be taken in its general sense. “A Civil Servant is said to be senior is relation to another when the duration of his Service is longer or he holds a Senior Post”.

 

Relevant Provisions / Laws:

Section (8) of the Civil Servants Act 1973 read with Civil Servants (Seniority) rules 1993.

 

·         Cross Reference:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Servants Act 1973 read with rule 07 of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Appointment, Promotion, and Transfer) Rules 1989.

 

Seniority List of Civil Servants:

            According to section (8) of the CSA 1973 read with Civil Servants (Seniority) rules 1993. The appointing authority shall maintain a Seniority list of the members for the time being of such Service, Cadre or post for the proper administration of Service.

·         Seniority, How to Be Determined / Calculated:

The Seniority of the members shall be counted, calculated, considered in relation to the other Civil Servants belonging to the Service Cadre, whether serving in the same department or office or not.

·         Seniority of A Civil Servant On Initial Appointment:

According to section (8) of the CSA 1973 read with rule 2 of the Civil Servants (Seniority) rules 1993.

A Person Initially Appointed Through an Earlier Open Advertisement: Persons initially appointed on the recommendation of the selection authority through an earlier open advertisement shall rank senior to those appointed through a subsequent open advertisement.

·         When Two Or More Persons Are Recommended in Open Advertisement:

If two or more persons are recommended in open advertisement by the selection authority their inter-se seniority shall be determined in order of merit assigned by the selection authority.

·         When One Candidate Is Recommended, And He Was Already Holding the Same Post on Ad-hoc Basis:

Ø  If only one candidate is recommended in open advertisement by the selection authority, he shall count his seniority frame from the date of recommendation by the selection authority.

Ø  If he was already holding the same post on Ad-hoc basis

 

·         When Only One Candidate Is Recommended and He Was Not Already Holding the Same Post:

If only one candidate is recommended by the selection authority in open advertisement, he shall count his Seniority from the date of his joining the post, if he was not already holding the same post.

a)      Seniority of A Civil Servant on Promotion:

                According to selection (8) of the CSA 1973 read with rule (3) of the CS (Seniority) rules 1993. Seniority in a Service, Cadre or post to which a Civil Servant is promoted shall take effect from the date of regular Promotion to that Service, Cadre, or post.

Ø  Civil Servants Selected For Promotion To Higher Posts On An Earlier Date:

Civil Servants selected for Promotion to higher posts on an earlier date shall be senior to those selected for such Promotion on a later date.

Ø  Civil Servants Selected for Promotion To Higher Posts In One Batch:

Civil Servants selected for Promotion to higher posts on one Batch shall on their Promotion to higher post, retain their inter-se Seniority as in the lower post.

Ø  Seniority Civil Servants Who Were Deferred for The Reasons Beyond Their Control And Junior Were Promoted:

Civil Servants eligible for Promotion who could not be considered for Promotion in original reference, in circumstances beyond their control or whose case was deferred while juniors were promoted to the higher post, shall on Promotion, without supersession, take their Seniority with the original batch.

b)     Seniority on Promotion by Transfer: 

According to rule (4) of the CS (Seniority) rules 1993. Seniority in Service, post or Cadre to which a Civil Servant is appointed by transfer shall take effect from the date of regular appointment to that Service, Cadre or post.

·         Civil Servants Belong to Same Post Selected For Appointment By Transfer To A Post In One Batch:

Civil Servants belongs to same Service, Cadre or post selected for appointment by transfer to a Service Cadre or post in one batch shall on their appointment take their inter-se Seniority in order of their date of regular appointment in their previous Service, Cadre, or post.

·         Civil Servants Belong to Different Posts Selected For Appointment By Transfer To A Post In One Batch:  

Civil Servants belongs to different Services, Cadre or post selected for appointment by transfer in one batch shall take their inter-se Seniority in the order of the date of their regular appointment to the post which they are holding before such appointment and where such date is the same, the person older in age shall rank Senior.

c)      Seniority in The Event of Merger Of Ministries Etc.:

In the event of merger of ministries, Divisions, attached departments, or subordinate offices, the Seniority of Civil Servants shall be determined in accordance with the date of regular appointment to a Cadre or post. However, this rule is not applicable to regularly constituted occupational Groups and Services.

According to Occupational Groups and Services (Probation, Training and Seniority) Rules, 1990. "Occupational Group or Service" means any group or service recruitment to which is made through the competitive examination conducted by the Commission from time to time against BPS 17 posts under the Federal Government or any occupational group or service transfer to which is made from the Armed Forces by induction and includes the following: -

(a) Accounts Group

(b) Commerce and Trade Group

(c) Customs and Excise Group

(d) District Management Group

(e) Foreign Service of Pakistan

(f) Income Tax Group

(g) Information Group

(h) Military Lands and Cantonment Group

(i) Office Management Group

(j) Police Service of Pakistan

(k) Postal Group

(l) Railways (Commercial & Transportation) Group and

(m) any other service or group which may be notified by the Government as such.

 

d)     Seniority of Officers of Armed Forces an Induction in Civil Posts:

Officers of armed forces of Pakistan who are inducted in a Civil Service, Cadre or post on accordance with the Government orders and instructions shall take Seniority in that Service, Cadre or Post from the date of their induction.

However, the officers inducted in one Batch shall, on inductions, retain their inter-se Seniority as in the armed forces of Pakistan.

 

e)      Seniority in Case of Ad-Hoc Appointment:

Ad-hoc appointment does not confer any right in Seniority from the date of such appointment.

 

f)       Seniority in Case Of Deputation:

In case of deputation the Seniority is counted from the date of deputation order and with reference to the time, such officer remained on deputation.

Ø  Seniority Is Not Vested Right:

Section (8) of the Civil Servants Act 1973 clearly provides that no vested right is conferred to a particular Seniority is Service, Cadre or post. However, rule-making authority could for sufficient reason determine it.

CONCLUSION:

To conclude, Seniority is a step towards Promotion. However, Seniority confers no right/title to Promotion, it is a matter that is within the exclusive discretionary domain of the executive authorities for the proper administration of Service, post, or Cadre the appointing authority is responsible for preparing a Seniority list of the members for the time being of such Service, Cadre or post. The federal Civil Servants (Seniority) Rules 1993 does not apply to the Police Service of Pakistan the Occupational Groups and Service, and the Establishment Division.

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