[BREAKING] CAT Guwahati bar body moves Gauhati High Court challenging appointment of Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More as CAT Chairperson

The Central Administrative Tribunal (Guwahati Bench) Bar Association has moved the Gauhati High Court challenging the appointment of retired Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court, Justice Ranjit Vasantrao More as the chairperson of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) [Central Administrative Tribunal (Guwahati Bench) Bar Association vs Union of India]..Single-judge Justice Michael Zothankhuma, who heard the matter last week, asked the Central government to take instructions and listed the case for consideration after two weeks.The bar body in its plea has contended that the Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) responsible for the appointment violated the Tribunal Reforms Act, 2021 and the rules made under the Act, while recommending Justice More's appointment. It was stated that the Department of Personnel and Training had issued the vacancy circular for the CAT chairperson post on April 4, 2022.As per the same, the application was to be accompanied by vigilance clearance in respect of the retired Judge of High Court or government civil servants as well as specific information regarding experience of handling cases in the tribunal and five major achievements.The advertisement further said that no incomplete forms would be entertained. However, the SCSC received a number of such applications from retired civil servants and High Court judges which were incomplete but the same were still considered, it was submitted..The plea said that such incomplete applications without being accompanied by requisite documents annexed as per the prescribed format were still considered in contravention of Rule 4 (2), (4) and 5 (2) of the Tribunals (Conditions of Service) Rules, 2021 and also the specific terms of the vacancy notification of April 4, 2022. "Such consideration by the SCSC is void ab initio and clearly not sustainable in the eyes of law," the petition said..Further, the Tribunals Reforms Act, 2021 and Rules of 2021 framed under the Act had given additional weightage to the applicants who rendered long service and had a long association with the CAT.But such applicants have not been given the mandatory additional weightage statutorily required to be given, it was submitted..The bar body, therefore, prayed that the recommendation to appoint Justice More "made in violation of the rules and terms of advertisement of April 4 may be set aside and quashed". The petitioner also prayed that SCSC may be constituted for making fresh recommendation after making a thorough scrutiny of the applications received in terms of the rules and the advertisement. Justice More, who was a judge at the Bombay High Court, was transferred to the Meghalaya High Court in March 2020. He took oath as Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court in October 2021 and retired from office on November 3 the same year. .Note: An initial version of the story incorrectly mentioned that the petition was filed before the Supreme Court. The error is regretted.