Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) nod for IAS Amrapali Kata's plea on Telangana cadre; terms selective application of rules discriminatory, says same relaxation should apply to her

HYDERABAD: Stating that strict application of the Pratyush Sinha Committee guidelines in respect of some officers and relaxing them for some others without any rhyme or reason will amount to discrimination, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) at Hyderabad on Monday allowed a petition filed by 2010 batch IAS Amrapali Kata seeking Telangana cadre.

She is currently working with Andhra Pradesh ever since her request for Telangana cadre was rejected by the central govt last year. She is currently managing director of AP Tourism Development Corporation.

Her latest challenge to the decision of the central govt was heard by CAT, which found force in her argument. The bench, comprising judicial member Dr Lata Baswaraj Patne and administration member Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi, opined that the authorities have been adopting selective approach in the matter and allowed Amrapali's plea for Telangana cadre. The bench agreed with the argument of her counsel K Sudhakar Reddy, who contended that the guidelines framed by the Pratyush Sinha Committee at the time of state bifurcation in 2014 for the purpose of division of the cadre of All India Service officers, were implemented in a whimsical manner by the officials. Initially, they said swapping was allowed only between same cadre officials. Later, they exempted some officers from the norm, he said. Amrapali's request for swapping with an officer of lower grade pay was rejected on the ground that swapping among unequal grades was impermissible, he said and brought to the notice of the bench the instances of swapping among unequal grades. The bench said it was discriminatory and opined that same relaxation of norms should have been accorded to Amrapali also.