Government employees in Haryana waiting for Assured Career Progression (ACP) benefits despite being eligible could see their pending claims come under greater scrutiny.
Taking cognizance of a growing number of cases involving delays in granting ACP benefits and Leave Travel Concession (LTC), the Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the state government to compile comprehensive data on all pending ACP claims across the Education Department.
It has also sought a list detailing the reasons for the delay. The Bench warned that failure to demonstrate compliance could attract costs of Rs 50,000, recoverable from the officer responsible for non-compliance.
Justice Harpreet Singh Brar issued the directions while dealing with a petition in which the petitioner-employee’s eligibility for the benefits was not in dispute, but her claim remained pending.
At the onset, the Bench observed that the issue extended beyond an individual grievance. “This court is flooded with numerous cases involving similar grievances relating to the grant of ACP benefits as well as Leave Travel Concession (LTC),” the court observed.
Recording the position in the petitioner’s case, Justice Brar observed: “In the present case, the eligibility of the petitioner is not in dispute. Despite this, her legitimate claim has remained pending due to administrative inertia.”
Emphasising the need to prevent indefinite delays in such matters, Justice Brar asserted that such delay could not be permitted to continue indefinitely. Explaining the purpose, the court observed: “Financial benefits such as ACP are intended to incentivise employees and mitigate stagnation in their service careers. If these benefits are not granted within a reasonable time, the very purpose for which they are intended stands defeated.”
To examine the wider problem, the court directed the Principal Secretary to Government of Haryana to “examine the issue and compile comprehensive data regarding all pending cases relating to ACP benefits in the Education Department, including those pending before the Directorate of Elementary Education, the Directorate of Secondary Education and the Directorate of Higher Education”.
Before parting with the order, Justice Brar directed the state counsel to place on record a comprehensive list of all pending claims and the reasons for delay. “In case an appropriate affidavit demonstrating compliance with the directions is not filed, the petitioner shall be entitled to costs of Rs 50,000, recoverable from the officer responsible for non-compliance,” the Bench added.
The case will now come up for further hearing, along with a related matter, on November 25.
Why the order matters
For a government employee, Assured Career Progression (ACP) benefits mean financial relief when career advancement remains limited due to stagnation in service. The High Court’s concern is that even when an employee’s eligibility is not disputed, the benefit can remain out of reach because the administration fails to act. By seeking details of all pending ACP claims across Haryana’s Education Department, the court has widened the focus from one employee’s grievance to a department-wide problem.
The direction does not automatically grant ACP benefits to every employee whose claim is pending. However, a comprehensive list of claims and the reasons for delay could help identify where and why files are held up. The requirement to demonstrate compliance, backed by the possibility of Rs 50,000 in costs recoverable from the officer responsible for non-compliance, also puts individual accountability in focus.
For employees waiting for their dues, the significance lies in the prospect of greater scrutiny of delays that might otherwise continue without explanation.
