HARYANA FREEZES SC QUOTA IN GROUP A, B PROMOTIONS PENDING HIGH COURT VERDICT

STATE WITHDRAWS 2023 PROMOTION RESERVATION INSTRUCTIONS; RESERVED POSTS TO REMAIN VACANT UNTIL APPEAL IS DECIDED

Face2News/Chandigarh :

In a significant policy decision affecting promotions in the State Civil Services, the Haryana Government has suspended the implementation of reservation in promotions for Scheduled Caste (SC) employees to Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts until the Punjab and Haryana High Court decides the State’s appeal on the issue.

The Human Resources Department has issued fresh instructions superseding its December 19, 2023 orders on the matter.

The move follows the State Government’s appeal against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s April 1, 2025 judgment in Kamaljeet Singh and Others vs State of Haryana, which upheld Haryana’s policy granting 20% reservation in promotions to Scheduled Caste employees but directed the Government to exclude the “creamy layer” while implementing the policy. The State has challenged this direction through LPA No. 1054 of 2026, which is pending before the High Court.

Under the fresh orders, no promotions will now be granted by extending reservation benefits under the October 7, 2023 policy until the High Court delivers its final verdict. Promotional vacancies earmarked for Scheduled Caste employees to meet the prescribed representation will remain vacant and reserved during this period.

However, the Government has made it clear that SC employees who are otherwise eligible for promotion on the basis of seniority-cum-merit under the applicable service rules will continue to be promoted. Such promotions will not be denied merely because reservation in promotion has been kept in abeyance.

The notification further clarifies that SC employees promoted through seniority-cum-merit will still be counted towards the 20% representation envisaged under the Government’s reservation policy. The remaining promotional vacancies will be filled according to normal service rules based on seniority-cum-merit.

The Government has also directed that where Scheduled Caste representation in a promotional cadre has already reached or exceeded 20%, eligible officers will continue to be considered for promotion under the applicable service rules. No eligible SC employee will be denied promotion solely because the prescribed representation has already been achieved through earlier promotions.

Importantly, the order specifies that the reservation roster for direct recruitment to Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’ posts will remain unchanged, and only promotions are covered under these interim instructions. Existing roster maintenance guidelines will continue to be followed.

The Human Resources Department has instructed all departments, boards, corporations, public sector undertakings, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and universities to implement these directions with immediate effect. The instructions will remain operational until the High Court pronounces its judgment in LPA No. 1054 of 2026 or until further orders are issued by the State Government.