Vinod Kumar v. Union Of India Through Its Secretary & ORS.

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ W.P.(C) 6654/2025 & CM APPL. 30197/2025 VINOD KUMAR .....Petitioner Through:

Mr. Om Prakash Tanwar, Adv.

versus UNION OF INDIA THROUGH ITS SECRETARY & ORS.

.....Respondents Through:

Mr. Nirvikar Verma, Adv. for UoI

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ANIL KSHETARPAL HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT MAHAJAN

O R D E R

% 03.02.2026 1.

The present petition has been filed assailing the order dated 09.05.2025, passed by the learned Central Administrative Tribunal, Principal Bench, New Delhi, (hereinafter 'CAT') in O.A. No. 1225/2025. The Original Application was filed challenging order dated 29.03.2025 passed by the Respondent No. 1 vide which the Officer Junior to the Petitioner was appointed as Divisional Railway Manager ('DRM') arbitrarily bypassing the Petitioner. 2.

Learned counsel representing the Respondents, on instructions, states that the Petitioner has already been posted as DRM from 24.07.2025. It is further submitted that posting as DRM is neither a promotion nor does it carry any financial implication or benefit. 3.

The above OA filed by the Petitioner was disposed of the following observations:

"8.

Conclusion The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 05/02/2026 at 12:37:58

(i) In view of the above analysis, the respondents are directed to consider to incorporate a clause in the new guidelines that before empanelling officers into the select list for being posted as DRM, below benchmark APARs for the period prior to 2009-10 will be communicated to individual employees. Such employees have the liberty to represent against such below benchmark APARs and the competent authority shall consider such representation within a specified time, or in the alternative, the selection committee may ignore such below benchmark APARS to consider officers to be included in the select list.

(ii) In case of the present applicant, the respondents shall communicate below benchmark APARs, if any, pertaining to the period 1997 to 2010 and give him adequate opportunity to represent before being again re-considered for short listing under the new guidelines dated 3.09.2024. To that extent, the respondents should reconsider the case of the applicant to be shortlisted for being posted as DRM.

(iii) All the above exercises should be completed within a period of 8 weeks from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order. There shall be no order as to costs."

4.

Since the Petitioner has already been granted the posting of DRM and directions have already been issued to the Respondents to supply uncommunicated below-benchmark APARs to enable the Petitioner to submit representations, no further orders are required to be passed in the present petition.

5.

Hence, the writ petition is disposed of.

ANIL KSHETARPAL, J AMIT MAHAJAN, J FEBRUARY 3, 2026 "SS"

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 05/02/2026 at 12:37:58