Srinagar, Nov 05, KDC: In a bizarre recruitment anomaly where an appointment order was allegedly issued weeks before the actual selection list was published, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in Srinagar has directed the Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, to produce the entire selection record in a sealed cover.
A division bench comprising Judicial Member M. S. Latif and Administrative Member Prasant Kumar issued the directive while hearing a plea challenging the appointment of an Assistant Finance Officer at the university.
The applicant, Naseer Ahmad Dar, a resident of Khawaja Bagh Tailbal, Srinagar, approached the Tribunal seeking the quashing of University Order No. 22-Est of 2026, dated April 6, 2026. Through this order, a private respondent, Zeeshan Nazir, was appointed as the Assistant Finance Officer.
During the hearing, the applicant’s counsel, Advocate Shaqir Rajab, pointed out a glaring procedural flaw. He submitted that while the appointment order for the private respondent was issued on April 6, the provisional selection list and the waiting list for the exact same post were issued on April 21, 2026—15 days after the job was already given.
Advocate Rajab argued that this situation is akin to “putting the cart before the horse,” questioning how an appointment could legally precede the issuance of a selection list.
Dar’s petition seeks the quashing of the private respondent’s appointment along with subsequent university communications, including Office Order No. 842 of 2026 dated August 7, 2026, which treated the post as a “fresh vacancy”. Standing at Serial No. 1 on the waiting list, the applicant has prayed that the university be directed to operate the waiting list and appoint him instead, while simultaneously restraining IUST from re-advertising the position.
Perusing the documents on file, the Tribunal observed: “Prima facie, what appears from the annexures on file is appointment order’s date is of 06.04.2026 and the provisional list and waiting list is dated 21.04.2026”.
Terming the facts and circumstances of the case “peculiar,” the bench issued a notice to the respondents. Deputy Advocate General (DAG) Syed Musaib accepted the notice on behalf of the official respondents, including the IUST Vice Chancellor.
The Tribunal directed the DAG to “produce the record pertaining to the selection of the Assistant Finance Officer before this Court in a sealed cover, in addition to filing of his response”. The applicant was also directed to take necessary steps to serve notice to the private respondent.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on November 23, 2026. (KDC)