Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has pulled up the State government for its recurring practice of extending the tenures of senior Public Works Department (PWD) officers beyond retirement age, stating that such decisions obstruct promotions and deny younger officers their due opportunities.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Bharati Dangre and Justice Ashish Chavan made the observations while hearing a petition filed by Assistant Engineer Pankaj Narvekar.
The petitioner had challenged the government’s decision to grant service extensions to four senior officials after superannuation, arguing that the move had blocked promotional avenues for eligible officers waiting in line.
In its order, the Bench urged the government and the Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC) to devise a clear mechanism to avoid such extensions and to encourage induction of younger officers into key roles.
“We expect the State government and the GPSC to work out a mechanism to avoid extending services and to infuse young talent by suitably modifying recruitment rules or qualifications,” the judges stated.
Although the Court declined to provide specific relief to Narvekar—who has since been promoted to Executive Engineer—it sharply criticised the government’s continued reliance on extensions, describing the situation as “a sorry state of affairs.”
“It is quite a sorry state of affairs when the Department grants repeated extensions, creating a perception among employees that it intentionally retains certain officers beyond retirement,” the Bench observed.
The judges emphasised that the government must ensure fairness in promotions while balancing administrative needs. They further directed the State and the GPSC to act with urgency in establishing a transparent and merit-driven system for appointments and promotions within the PWD.
