BHUBANESWAR: Orissa Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Legislators Coordination Council has accused the State Government of deliberately turning a blind eye towards promotion of 202 Orissa Administrative Service and Orissa Finance Service officers belonging to SC/ST categories.

Though the matter was brought to the Government’s notice, no remedial measures have been taken, it said in a statement.

The Council’s general secretary, Sura Sethi said, according to the reservation policy of the State Government, OAS and OFS officers belonging to the SC/ST categories are eligible for promotion on seniority basis only after they are promoted to Junior Class I from Class II. But the same benefit is not allowed at the Class II and III levels, he said.

However, some officers in the State Government have been misleading these SC/ST officers and holding back their promotions on the basis of a directive of the Supreme Court which is altogether different in context, Sethi said.

As a result, 150 SC/ST OAS officers who were in Class I in 1991, 1993, 1995 and 1996 have been denied promotion whereas the Class I officers in the general category in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 have been promoted. Similarly, 52 OFS officers have been suffering in the same manner, he alleged.

The Council has demanded intervention of Chief Minister and chief secretary in this matter