NEW DELHI, Sep 11: The Supreme Court has stayed the reinstatement of IAS officer Rinku Dhugga, who was compulsorily retired by the Centre following a controversy over the alleged use of Thyagaraj Stadium for walking her dog.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana issued notice to Dhugga on the Centre’s challenge to a Delhi High Court judgment that set aside her compulsory retirement.
“In the meantime, the reinstatement of the respondent shall remain stayed,” the bench said in its September 7 order.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on October 13. The Centre was represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati.
Dhugga had challenged the Centre’s compulsory retirement order before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which directed her reinstatement. The Delhi High Court subsequently upheld the CAT’s decision in its April 15 judgment.
The controversy dates back to 2022, when Dhugga and her husband, also an IAS officer, were accused of having the Thyagaraj Stadium emptied to enable her to walk her dog. Photographs and reports of the incident triggered widespread public outrage.
In its judgment, the High Court noted that the incident had resulted in a minor punishment in disciplinary proceedings. It also considered an allegation related to her unauthorised absence, with both matters having been cited in connection with the decision to compulsorily retire her.
The High Court found that the review committee’s recommendation for her compulsory retirement could not be sustained as it had failed to consider several relevant aspects of her service record.
These included the absence of adverse remarks in her Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs), outstanding ratings in the preceding years and the fact that she was being considered for promotion.
The court also observed that compulsory retirement is intended to remove officers regarded as “deadwood” from service and held that the principle did not apply to Dhugga’s case.
The Supreme Court’s latest order means that her reinstatement will remain on hold until further orders as the Centre’s challenge is considered.