MP begins promotion exercise for 2 lakh employees:Govt seeks seniority lists till 2029, orders to follow after High Court decision

The Madhya Pradesh government has initiated preparations to clear the long-pending promotions of nearly 2 lakh government officers and employees, which have remained stalled for the past nine years. Although the matter is still pending before the High Court, the state’s General Administration Department (GAD) has directed 20 government departments to prepare and submit seniority lists up to 2029 at the earliest. The move aims to ensure that promotion orders can be issued immediately once the court or the government gives its final approval. Seniority lists to be updated twice every year Amid opposition to the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Promotion Rules, 2025, the GAD convened a meeting on Monday with Deputy Secretary-level officers from 20 departments. Departments have been instructed to compile complete data of officers serving against Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and unreserved posts, along with preparing seniority lists extending to 2029. As per the rules, these seniority lists will be updated twice a year, in January and July, and future promotions will be based on these updated records. Several departments functioning with additional charge The nine-year delay in promotions has significantly affected key government departments. Departments such as Water Resources, Public Health Engineering (PHE), Public Works Department (PWD), Narmada Valley Development, and Urban Development are operating with several senior positions being held on an additional-charge basis. For instance, the PHE Department has 127 sanctioned Executive Engineer posts, but only 15 officers are serving in regular capacity. The remaining positions are being managed through additional charge arrangements. Vacancies are also expected to rise in the coming months due to retirements in the department’s Engineer-in-Chief (ENC) positions. Similar arrangements are in place in the Water Resources and PWD departments, where Superintending Engineers are functioning as officiating Engineers-in-Chief. Disputes over these temporary appointments have already reached the High Court. The government believes that restarting promotions will help address these administrative gaps. Preparations based on promotion rules 2025 The GAD has clarified that preparations are being carried out under Rule 5 of the Madhya Pradesh Public Service Promotion Rules, 2025, which provides for determining the distribution of SC, ST, and unreserved posts across various cadres. Officials said no changes have been made to the 2025 rules. Accordingly, departments will prepare seniority lists up to 2029 under the existing framework and submit them to the GAD. Further action will depend on subsequent government directions. Officials await further instructions Several Deputy Secretary-level officers who attended the meeting said they had only been instructed to prepare seniority lists. Since the matter remains pending before the High Court, the next steps in the promotion process will depend on the government’s future directions after judicial clarity. SPEAK opposes government move The General Backwards Class Officers and Employees Association (SPEAK) has opposed the government’s decision. Association president Dr K.S. Tomar alleged that the government is attempting to replicate the promotion framework of the 2002 Promotion Rules through the 2025 rules to benefit SC and ST employees. He claimed that reserved-category employees have already received promotions beyond the prescribed limit. According to him, pending promotions of employees in the unreserved category should be cleared first before addressing the existing imbalance. Tomar also announced that the organisation would challenge the new promotion rules and the entire process before the High Court.