Shimla, Apr 1,
Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the State government to urgently appoint essential staff for the State Transport Appellate Tribunal (STAT) by April 4, 2025, warning that the tribunal cannot function without adequate support personnel.
The directive came during the hearing of an application by Manju Sekhri, who sought to recall a 2023 order transferring her writ petition to the STAT. Her case, now pending as Appeal No.9 of 2023, has been stalled due to the tribunal’s non-operational status.
The STAT, meant to handle appeals under the Motor Vehicles Act, has faced repeated disruptions. Initially, a District & Sessions Judge was appointed as Presiding Officer, but the High Court had to withdraw the officer due to staff shortages.
Though Rajesh Tomar has now been posted as Chairman-cum-Member, the court emphasized that his role would be ineffective without stenographers and judgment writers. The state informed the court that most posts had been filled, except for Steno Typist, Judgment Writer, and Driver, proposing to outsource the first two roles. However, the court rejected this, stressing the need for direct accountability and ordered temporary deployment or re-employment of qualified staff by April 4.
The bench, comprising Justices Vivek Singh Thakur and Ranjan Sharma, also mandated permanent appointments under the Recruitment & Promotion Rules by May 15, 2025.
The case will next be heard on April 7, with the state required to submit a progress report.
