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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Promotion of HCS officers: Eight officers facing trial not to be promoted till exonerated by court
Eight Haryana Civil Service (HCS) officers of 2002 batch facing trial in a corruption case will have to wait for their exoneration by the court for being promoted to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The decision was taken by the selection committee headed by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) member, Dinesh Dasa which met in New Delhi on Monday to consider the names of HCS officers for appointment to 27 posts of IAS by promotion. Officials said that the eight HCS officers who are facing trial were included provisionally in the select list for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) by way of promotion. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) Officials said that the eight HCS officers who are facing trial were included provisionally in the select list for appointment to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) by way of promotion. 'This, as per the central rules, means that they cannot be promoted to the IAS unless exonerated by the court,' said an official. A select list is a roll of officers recommended for induction into IAS. Officials said that the selection committee also prepared a list of 18 HCS officers who are found suitable for promotion to the IAS. Thus, their names were included in the select list for appointment to the IAS. These included Vivek Padam Singh of 1997 batch, Munish Nagpal, Mahender Pal and Satpal Sharma of the 2002 batch, Sushil Kumar of 2003 batch, Varsha Khangwal, Virender Sehrawat, Satyender Duhan, Manita Malik, Satbir Singh, Amrita Singh, Yogesh Kumar, Vandana Disodia, Jaideep Kumar, Samwartak Singh Khangwal. Criminal proceedings pending against 8 HCS officers The state anti-corruption bureau (ACB) had on July 4, 2023 presented a chargesheet (under section 173 of the CrPC) in the court of Hisar sessions judge, Dinesh Kumar Mittal, arraigning these eight HCS officers of 2002 batch as accused. They are Veena Hooda, Surender Singh-1, Jagdeep Dhanda, Sarita Malik, Kamlesh Bhadoo, Kuldhir Singh, Vatsal Vashisht and Jag Niwas. They were arraigned in a case pertaining to alleged irregularities and malpractices by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) in the recruitment process of 2001 HCS and Allied Services (executive branch) examination. A total of 29 persons including six former HPSC functionaries, four allied services officers and nine paper checkers were also arraigned in the charge-sheet. On a petition filed by one of the eight HCS officers facing trial, Jagdeep Dhanda, the Punjab and Haryana high court had on July 11 stayed the operation and effect of the charge sheet with regards to Dhanda. But the UPSC led selection committee did not consider Dhanda's case for appointment and decided to put his name in the select list as provisional along with his other batchmates. Legal experts said that a mere stay by the court on the operation and effect of the charge sheet filed by ACB did not mean that the officer became eligible for appointment to IAS. 'The charge sheet has been stayed and not quashed by the high court. Surely, the trial will come to a halt. But promoting an officer on the basis of a stay by the court can create more complications like reverting the officer back to HCS if the stay is vacated by the high court,' said Punjab and Haryana high court lawyer, Sachin Jain. Jain said the UPSC adopted the best way possible by keeping the name of the officer in the select list as provisional pending the outcome of the petition in HC or trial court. Rule 5(5) of the IAS (Appointment by Promotion) Regulations stipulated that the name of an officer included in the list of officers will be treated as provisional if any departmental or criminal proceedings are pending against him. 'The proceedings shall be treated as pending only if a charge sheet has actually been issued to the officer or filed in a court,' reads the explanation to the Rule. Similarly, Rule 7(3) said that if an officer included in the select list is issued with a charge sheet or a charge sheet is filed against him in a court of law after his inclusion, then his name in the select list shall be deemed to be provisional. In a nutshell, it means that officers against whom criminal proceedings are pending cannot be considered for promotion to the IAS unless exonerated by the court.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
UPSC clears promotion of 18 Haryana officers to IAS
A Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has recommended the promotion of 18 Haryana Civil Service (HCS) officers to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). In addition, nine more HCS officers have been granted 'provisional' promotion, including eight against whom a chargesheet has been filed in a Hisar court over alleged irregularities in the 2002 HCS recruitment process. The Haryana government had recently sent a proposal to the UPSC recommending the promotion of 27 officers from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 HCS batches. These were against vacancies spread across five IAS batches: three for 2020, four for 2021, eight for 2022, ten for 2023, and two for 2024. The long-pending promotions had been delayed due to ongoing legal proceedings. The process gained momentum following persistent follow-ups by senior officials in the Haryana government. In 2023, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed a chargesheet in the Hisar court regarding the 2002 recruitment — a development that had stalled the career progression of many state officers. Explaining the 'provisional' tag, a senior official said: 'There was a view that the officers are fit for promotion, except for the fact that an FIR is pending against them and a chargesheet has been filed in court. In past cases, courts have quashed such chargesheets. If that happens here, their promotions will be treated as regular from the current date.' Another officer clarified that if the chargesheet is not quashed by December 31, the recommendation for promotion will lapse. 'In that case, a notification will not be issued for these eight officers. However, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is expected to soon issue the notification for the 18 officers whose promotions have been cleared,' the officer added. The chargesheet has remained a stumbling block for several years, repeatedly stalling the promotion process. In March this year, when the state government again approached the UPSC for promotions, it argued that the term 'chargesheet' should not be interpreted as the final report filed under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). However, the UPSC returned the proposal after the Solicitor General of India disagreed with the state's position. 'All cases where a report under Section 173 CrPC has been filed must be treated as chargesheets under Regulation 5(5) of the IAS Regulations, 1955,' the Solicitor General had clarified. Just three days before the DPC met, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the vigilance chargesheet filed against one of the eight HCS officers, Jagdeep Dhanda. In his petition, Dhanda alleged that he was wrongly implicated in the case, and that the chargesheet — filed 18 years after the FIR was registered — was motivated by extraneous and mala fide considerations.
Indian Express
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
UPSC to take up today Haryana plea to promote 27 HCS officers to IAS
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will on Monday consider a request from the Haryana government to promote 27 Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers to the IAS cadre. The HCS officers include one who got a breather recently with the Punjab and Haryana High Court staying vigilance bureau chargesheet against him. With Haryana facing a shortage of IAS officers — against the sanctioned strength of 225, the state currently has only 169 such officers in service — it has urged the UPSC to consider promoting HCS officers to IAS. The Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of the UPSC will take up the matter in a meeting scheduled for July 14. In 2023, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had filed a chargesheet in a Hisar court, alleging irregularities in the recruitment of the 2002 HCS batch, which has hindered the promotion of several officers in recent years. Eight of the 27 HCS officers — whose names have been forwaded to the UPSC for promotions — have been named in the chargesheet. One of them, Jagdeep Dhanda, recently approached the high court alleging that he has been 'implicated in the impugned FIR and chargesheet has been filed against him for extraneous reasons and with mala fide intentions'. A few years back too, the Haryana government had sent a proposal to the UPSC to consider HCS officers for promotion to IAS. Dhanda's name figured in that list too. The selection committee meeting was fixed for December 6, 2022, but could not be held. It was claimed on the behalf of Dhanda that 'to exclude certain officers from zone of consideration, the affected parties managed to influence the government to send a vigilance report concerning the FIR to the UPSC on December 22, 2022. It was also claimed that 'he (Dhanda) was not even named in the said vigilance report, nor was any allegation of any kind levelled against him'. Meanwhile, after 18 years of registration of the FIR regarding alleged irregularities in the recruitment, the Vigilance Bureau filed a chargesheet in the Hisar court in January 2023. Dhanda's counsel contended that 'the entire sequence shows that it was only to exclude the petitioner from the process of selection to IAS cadre that he has been included as an accused in the challan/chargesheet, though none of the ingredients of the alleged offences are established against him'. On the other hand, the state counsel submitted that 'the petitioner (Dhanda) remains an accused in the charge-sheet filed, and, therefore, has no right to be considered for promotion'. As the state counsel sought time to file a detailed reply to the petition, the High Court on July 11 ordered a stay on the 'operation and effect of the impugned chargesheet'. In March this year, when the state government had approached the UPSC for the promotion of 27 HCS officers, it had conveyed that 'the term chargesheet cannot be construed as the final form/report submitted under section 173 of the CrPC'. However, the UPSC had returned the promotion proposal after the Solicitor General did not agree with the state government's opinion. 'All the cases where the report under section 173 CrPC is filed, it would be treated as filing of the chargesheets as stipulated in 'Regulations 5 (5) of the lAS Regulations, 1955,' the Solicitor General had opined.
News18
13-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
India Misses Out On Medal Rounds At ISSF Shotgun World Cup In Lonato
Last Updated: India ended its ISSF World Cup Shotgun campaign in Lonato without medals. Neeru Dhanda and Lakshay Sheoran finished 10th in Trap Mixed Team. Dhanda placed fourth in Women's Trap. India concluded its campaign at the ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Lonato with a strong but ultimately unsuccessful showing in the Trap Mixed Team event. Despite an impressive third series, the duo of Lakshay Sheoran (22, 19, 25) and Neeru Dhanda (25, 24, 25) missed out on a place in the medal rounds, finishing 10th out of 54 pairs with a combined score of 140 out of 150. The second Indian team comprising Zoravar Singh Sandhu (21, 23, 24) and Preeti Rajak (23, 24, 23) posted a total score of 138, placing them 22nd in the qualification standings. Four teams—Australia, Great Britain, and both Spanish squads—led the qualification round with identical tallies of 143, securing spots in the medal matches. India had recently seen success in the same event at the Nicosia Shotgun World Cup, where Kynan Chenai and Sabeera Haris claimed a bronze medal in the Trap Mixed Team event. The discipline is set to make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, adding significance to these performances. Neeru Dhanda Shines with Fourth-Place Finish in Women's Trap On Saturday, Neeru Dhanda, the reigning National Games champion, made headlines by reaching her first-ever World Cup final, finishing a commendable fourth in the women's trap event. Dhanda narrowly secured the final qualifying spot by winning a 2-1 shoot-off against Italy's Alessia Iezzi, the 2023 New Delhi World Cup Final champion. However, she was eventually eliminated due to a higher bib number, missing a chance at a medal. Australia's Laetisha Scanlan clinched gold with a total of 45 hits. Neeru, building on her strong performance from the previous day, missed just one target out of 75 in the Trap Mixed Team event, showing remarkable consistency. Unfortunately, her partner Lakshay faltered in the second series, missing six targets, which ultimately cost the pair a shot at the finals. India's campaign in Lonato, while falling short of medals, showcased promise, particularly through Dhanda's breakthrough and the overall competitiveness of its pairs on the global stage. (with IANS inputs) view comments First Published: July 13, 2025, 19:12 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Retail giant Albertsons plans to hire 1,000 people for its Bengaluru tech hub
The USD 80 billion Albertsons Companies—one of the largest food and drug retailers in the US—set up a digital hub in Bengaluru, leveraging the city's tech talent pool. The company plans to hire nearly 1,000 employees in the next 18 months, up from the current 300. Embracing its move as a late mover, Albertsons is turning timing into a strategic advantage. The retail giant is reimagining the future of digital retail from its Bengaluru global capability centre (GCC) to build smarter and more agile solutions. "Our goal is not to catch up; it's about figuring out how to build for the future," said Anuj Dhanda, EVP - chief information and transformation officer at Albertsons Companies. "There's a certain late-mover advantage—we're now able to design solutions with AI and data science at the core, rather than as an afterthought. Many capabilities that once required heavy coding can now be built with little to no code, dramatically increasing speed and agility. That's why we're so excited about our presence in Bengaluru and the incredible talent here driving this transformation." Albertsons has over 2,200 stores, and some of its banners include Safeway, Vons, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets, and Balducci's Food Lover's Market. Dhanda said the US retail giant is aiming for a technology refresh. "We need a technology 2.0, with significant shifts underway—that's where Bengaluru and the GCC come in. For success, we realised we need much greater velocity and agility, and to build far more of our own IP than we do today. Our goal is to change the way we work in technology. We've integrated product, data, and full-stack engineers into fully functional, global teams to enable seamless collaboration. We're applying AI and automation across the entire tech stack—not just in software development, but from requirements gathering to infrastructure and observability." Many GCCs are increasingly relocating tech roles to India, signalling growing confidence in shifting solution ownership. "My intent is to have several of my direct reports to be based here. If we consider the leadership group—around 17 to 18 vice-presidents and above—the goal is for at least a third of them to be in Bengaluru within the next 18 months," Dhanda said. He also said that the insourcing mix will shift dramatically, reducing reliance on external IT providers. "We developed numerous digital systems, including pharmacy and health capabilities, and upgraded our financial systems. Going forward, our investment will move from foundational upgrades to development-driven initiatives. While we currently depend heavily on third parties like TCS, Cognizant, and Sapient for resources, we plan to bring much of that work inhouse, empowering our own associates. Our focus is to reduce third-party dependence and build stronger internal teams." Lalit Ahuja, founder of full-stack GCC firm ANSR, said Albertsons is leveraging the late-mover advantage—not late to the party, but arriving at the perfect time to capitalise on a mature market. For retailers, the landscape is defined by thin margins, highly perishable inventory, and intense tech-driven competition—with e-commerce playing an increasingly vital role. "Some companies struggle because tech centres are set up suboptimally. But there are firms which are set up with sharper tech differentiation. We're witnessing significant maturity in the types of roles being introduced, driving modernisation of its tech stack. This includes mainstream adoption of new technologies and a stronger emphasis on product and functional ownership. And AI has become the greatest accelerator of efficiency," Ahuja said. Last year, Accenture picked up a significant minority stake in the Bengaluru and US-based ANSR, which set up over 170 GCCs in India.
