No benefit of contract service after regularisation: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) observed on Friday no contract employee could take the benefit of his previous employment after regularisation of his service, but regular service would be counted from the date when he was confirmed.

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsen, allowed the appeal of Punjab government against the Punjab service tribunal in a case of one Dr Qurban Ali of Agricultural Department.

Additional Advocate General Punjab Sanaullah Zahid, while referring to provisions of the Punjab Regulation of Service Act, told the court that any contract employee’s tenure would not be adjusted in regularisation of his service.

The court, while accepting the arguments of law officer, accepted the appeal of Punjab government and set aside the Punjab service tribunal order.

Dr Qurban Ali was appointed to the Agriculture Department in 2016 in a project and he was confirmed as a regular employee in 2019 on the orders of the secretary.

He, however, filed an application with Agriculture secretary to adjust his tenure as project service from the date of his regularisation that is May 31, 2016, which was rejected. He then moved the Punjab service tribunal that gave verdict in his favour. The Punjab government then approached the Supreme Court through chief secretary against the tribunal verdict.