The Punjab and Haryana HC, in a stinging indictment of of the recruitment process, quashed the appointments of seven Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs) today.It slapped Rs 10,000 fine on five of them and asked Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, advisor to Punjab CM Amarinder Singh, to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for interfering in court proceedings.Chahal’s son Bikram Inderjit Singh and SSP Ferozepur Harinder Singh Chahal’s son Gulzar Inder Singh were among the seven who will be stripped of their uniform. The others are — Major R.S. Ahluwalia, Gagan Inder Singh, Vimmy Singh, Palvinder Singh Cheeema and Manavjit Singh. The full bench comprising Chief Justice B.K. Roy and Justices Surya Kant and Rajive Bhalla ruled that ‘‘the entire process’’ was ‘‘illegal and the impunged selections and appointments of (seven DSPs) against the advertised posts (stand) quashed.’’The HC said the Departmental Selection Committee’s criteria for selection in sports quota were ‘‘totally illegal and discriminatory’’ and that it was beyond its jurisdiction.The HC said the decision taken by the Council of Ministers in its October 17, 2003 meeting was meant only to create 431 ex-cadre posts to adjust 337 sportspersons of the police department who were facing prospects of reversion following the implementation of the HC directions issued in 1998.It is up to Punjab to decide whether seven ex-cadre posts of DSPs are to be merged in the existing cadre of the DSPs.
