Chandigarh: The Haryana government is set to make another attempt at promoting 27 Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) returned its earlier proposal citing concerns over pending chargesheets against some of the officers.
The state government had initially sent the proposal to the UPSC in March 2025, seeking the promotion of 27 HCS officers from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches to the prestigious IAS. However, the UPSC returned the proposal, specifically pointing to the pending chargesheets against eight officers from the 2002 batch, which includes those involved in a corruption case. In 2023, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed a chargesheet in a Hisar court alleging irregularities in the recruitment of the 2002 batch of HCS officers, which had caused a delay in the promotion process.
Despite this setback, a senior Haryana government official confirmed on Monday that the UPSC has not taken a final call on the proposal, and the matter remains under active consideration. “The proposal will be resubmitted after addressing the concerns raised by the Commission,” the official said. “A fresh proposal will be put before the Chief Minister for approval before being sent again.”
The official also added that the Haryana government had contested the UPSC’s stance, stating that the term chargesheet should not be equated with a final report under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC). The state had received a legal opinion, arguing that the chargesheet is not conclusive of guilt. However, the Solicitor General disagreed, stating that any chargesheet filed under Section 173 should be treated as a final report in line with the IAS Regulations, 1955.
The Solicitor General’s opinion, delivered on May 11, 2025, was subsequently considered by the UPSC, which has now asked the state to furnish amended documents for further processing of the promotion proposals.
Meanwhile, political opposition has continued to raise concerns. Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal had earlier written to the President of India and the UPSC chairman, opposing the promotion of the 2002-batch officers, citing their involvement in corruption and legal issues. Dalal had also raised objections about the 2002 HCS selection process, which he claims was tainted, leading to investigations and charges against several officers.
The Haryana government is now moving forward with drafting a revised proposal, taking into account the Solicitor General’s opinion, in the hopes of clearing the way for the promotion of the officers once the legal hurdles are addressed.
Key Details:
- Promotions under consideration: 27 HCS officers from 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches.
- Concerns raised by UPSC: Pending chargesheets against 8 officers from the 2002 batch.
- Legal opinion: The Solicitor General supports UPSC’s stance that chargesheets are considered final reports under IAS Regulations.
- Political opposition: Congress leader Karan Singh Dalal has raised concerns regarding the promotions, citing corruption charges against the officers.
The outcome of this matter will significantly impact the career progression of these officers and could set a precedent for handling similar cases in the future.
