Chandigarh, Jan 28: The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) here today quashed the extension of director general of Punjab police P C Dogra and directed the state government to find a replacement within seven days.Striking down the Central Government order of September 25 last granting second a six-month extension to Dogra beyond September 30, the tribunal stayed the operation of its order for seven days to enable the Punjab Government to appoint a new DGP.``In this particular case, what is most painful is that the decision of the council of ministers taken in its meeting on February 26, 1997'' not to give extension in service to any retiring officer was rescinded by the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary and not by the council of ministers, it said.Such a decision giving extension to the DGP could be taken only after reviewing the 1997 decision of the council of ministers, it said.``In the instant case, the process in the reverse order has been followed,'' the tribunal said.Acting on apetition, the bench took serious exception to the state government's failure to formulate a panel of officers for selection of DGP before Dogra's first extension was to expire on September 30 last year.The petition was filed by additional director generals of police (ADGPs) Sarab Jit Singh, Jarnail Singh Chahal and Mahal Singh Bhullar, challenging the government decision to grant second extension.``A perusal of the official record reveals that suitable members of the service were available for appointment to the highest post in the service. There is nothing on record even to remotely suggest that they were lacking in any manner to man the highest office,'' the tribunal observed.``We are further at a loss to observe as to why the full and complete facts available on record were not placed before the centre,'' it said.The CAT said the service rules in an unambiguous term suggest that a member of the all India service shall compulsorily be retired from service on attaining the age of 58years.Though the ``mandatory nature of this rule cannot bediluted, (any) retention in service beyond the age of superannuation can only be ordered within the four corners of the in-built mandate available in the rule itself,'' it added.Earlier, in 1997, the CAT had, in another case, struck down Dogra's contention for a change in his date of birth record. The DGP had then claimed that his real date of birth was September 5, 1941 and was wrongly entered in records as March 5, 1940.
