HC stays CAT order on transfer of Chd power employees | Chandigarh News

Times News NetworkChandigarh: The Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed the operation of an interim order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh bench that had directed status quo regarding transfer of employees from the electricity wing of the engineering department, Chandigarh (EWEDC) to Chandigarh Power Distribution Limited (CPDL).The high court passed these orders in the wake of a petition filed by the UT, Chandigarh challenging the CAT’s interim order dated Jan 29, 2026. The Tribunal had granted status quo with respect to the transfer of employees and observed that they continued to be employees of EWEDC.Challenging the interim relief, senior standing counsel, UT, Amit Jhanji argued that the issue of privatisation of the power distribution utility and consequential transfer of employees had already been adjudicated in two earlier rounds of litigation before the high court and the Tribunal.It was submitted that the high court, vide order dated Nov 6, 2024, had upheld the privatisation scheme, a decision subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court. On the issue of transfer of employees, the Tribunal dismissed the employees’ plea on Jan 17, 2025.The UT contended that following the notification of the transfer scheme dated Jan 31, 2025, the employees stood finally transferred to CPDL. Counsel appearing for the company, senior advocates Chetan Mittal and D S Patwalia argued that the transfer process had been completed in terms of the notified scheme and that the interim relief granted by the Tribunal went beyond the pleadings.It was also contended that the impugned order had created an anomalous and potentially disruptive situation, as salaries and service benefits were being paid by CPDL and the employees were discharging duties under CPDL, yet by virtue of the Tribunal’s order, they were deemed to be employees of EWEDC. This, it was argued, risked administrative mismanagement and operational disruptions in power distribution.After hearing the parties, the HC stayed the operation of the CAT’s interim order.