The Gauhati High Court has issued notice to the Assam government on a petition challenging the third extension granted to a former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) as Special Chief Secretary (Forests) after his retirement in February 2024.
“This Public Interest Litigation is directed against the post-retirement engagement of respondent No. 3 (Mr.
Yadava), a retired Indian Forest Service officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, as Special Chief Secretary (Forest) in the Department of Environment and Forest with full financial and administrative powers,” the court notice said. It said Mr. Yadava’s post-retirement engagement was “notwithstanding the fact that the Office Memorandum of 2018 allows contractual engagement of retired Government officers only in rare and exceptional circumstances”. Underlining the “requirement of assessment of satisfactory performance for any continuation or re-engagement”, the court sought a response to the petition by October 15.
