Supreme Court Clears Promotion Of 42 Deputy Collectors In MP, Upholds Retrospective Benefits From 2016

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Supreme Court, in its recent order granted permission for promotion of 42 posts of deputy collector in Madhya Pradesh.

A division bench of Supreme Court comprising Justice Kumar Aravind and Justice Vipul B Pacholi dismissed the Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) of a dozen officers working on the post of deputy collector who had challenged the promotion process to be undertaken on the directions of the High Court for the posts of deputy collector.

Against the judgment of the Division Bench, more than a dozen officers from the 50% quota of direct recruits preferred SLP before the SC contending that retrospective promotion dating back to 10 years back could not have been granted by the MP HC to the promote officers.

Senior advocate Siddharth R. Gupta appeared for the respondent officers to be promoted by virtue of the MP HC judgment before the Supreme Court argued that under the State Rules, the post of deputy collectors are filled through two different modes - 50% through direct recruitment and 50% through promotion from the posts of tehsildar and Surveyor Land Records (SLR).

In 2016, the State Government for promotion to the various posts of deputy collectors, convened a DPC, but against 42 posts, no decisions were taken and the DPC was deferred.

The HC's single bench on a challenge being made to the withholding of promotions to these 42 posts in August 2023 termed the decision of the State to be arbitrary and dehors the applicable Rule 6 of the Promotion Rules.

HC single Bench directed the State to convene DPC of all the 42 posts with retrospective effect, granting promotion, seniority and all consequential benefits, w.e.f. Jan 01, 2016.

The decision of the single Bench was later challenged before the Division Bench by the State, which, affirming the view of the single Bench on July 01, 2026, eventually

The HC Division Bench directed the State government to conduct a DPC within 45 days for all the 42 posts.

HC had directed that officers promoted against these 42 posts to the post of Deputy Collector should e granted notional seniority with retrospective effect from Jan 01, 2016, along with all other pay benefits.