New Delhi/Chandigarh: In a significant setback for the Haryana government, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has returned a proposal seeking the promotion of 27 Haryana Civil Services (HCS) officers to the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The move comes in light of pending criminal charges against eight officers from the 2002 batch, prompting the UPSC to deem the list ineligible in its current form.
The proposal, submitted by the Haryana government in March 2025, covered officers from the 2002, 2003, and 2004 batches for the 2020–2024 IAS select list. However, the UPSC has now directed the state to submit a revised list excluding the officers who have been charge-sheeted in criminal cases.
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UPSC Rejects State’s Legal Argument
In its response dated May 22, the UPSC rejected Haryana’s contention that a charge sheet does not constitute a final report under Section 173 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) and hence should not disqualify candidates from promotion. The commission termed the argument “legally untenable.”
As a result, promotions for all 27 officers, including those from later batches with no pending charges, remain on hold – further exacerbating the state’s IAS manpower crunch. Haryana currently has 171 IAS officers against a sanctioned strength of 215, reflecting a shortfall of 44 officers.
Recruitment Controversy at the Core
The matter is rooted in a long-standing controversy surrounding the 2002 HCS recruitment, held during the tenure of then Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala. Allegations of manipulated answer sheets and recruitment irregularities led to a writ petition in 2002.
In 2009, the then Congress-led state government submitted an affidavit confirming serious manipulations in at least nine candidates’ answer sheets – some of whom are now among those listed for IAS promotion.
A formal FIR was lodged after a complaint by a rejected candidate. Following a Vigilance Bureau probe, charges were framed in 2023 against eight HCS officers and several former Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) officials. That same year, the President of India approved their prosecution, although the Punjab and Haryana High Court later stayed the trial.
Awaiting Clarity and Resolution
The UPSC’s decision is a blow to both the officers awaiting elevation and the state government’s efforts to plug administrative vacancies. The delay has sparked concern within bureaucratic circles, particularly among officers from the 2003 and 2004 batches who have no legal encumbrances but are collateral victims of the broader controversy.
The Haryana government is now expected to re-evaluate and resubmit a revised list of eligible officers, excluding those facing criminal proceedings, to ensure the long-pending promotions can proceed.
