Himachal Government Shuts Down State Administrative Tribunal

Shimla: Putting election manifesto commitments aside the government today announced winding up the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) as a measure for downsizing government expenditure and reducing litigation costs.

A curt note put out stated that the central government had cancelled the 1986 notification under which SAT had been set up. The tribunal which was a redressal forum for service related matters for government employee stands abolished from July 8

Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in his earlier tenure from 1998 to 2003 also had moved for abolishing the tribunal but was unable to do so because for want of consensus within the coalition government.

However the election manifesto on which the party came back with a thumping majority to attain power in last December commits that the party would make efforts for establishing a temporary bench of the tribunal at Dharamshala and Mandi.

“Employees of the wound up administrative tribunal would be adjusted against vacancies available in the HP High Court and other departments,” said Daljit Dogra secretary personnel.

Sources revealed that winding up the tribunal would result annual saving of about Rs 2 crore to the state exchequer. There was a proposal to set up a two member bench at Dharamshala which would have cost an additional Rs 70 lakh annually, which now stands annulled.

The tribunal had four members and there were over 23, 000 thousand cases pending with the SAT.

“As most cases that were decided by the tribunal ended up in the High Court, by winding up SAT it would reduce litigation costs as well as redressal of grievances levels,” said an official.

Ravinder Makhaik

As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.

Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.