The Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) has directed the demotion of approximately 500 Section Forest Officers (SFOs) in the Forest Department who were promoted without successfully completing the departmental examinations, thereby appointing individuals who met the stipulated criteria. Following the KAT’s ruling, these 500 SFOs will now be repositioned to the lower rank of Beat Forest Officer (BFOs).
According to the Forest Subordinate Services Special Rules implemented in 2010, BFOs are required to pass two departmental exams for promotion to the position of SFO. However, this requirement was not part of the rules in force before 2010, dating back to 1962. The issue arose when the state government continued to promote BFOs to SFO positions without clearing the departmental exams even after 2010. The matter eventually reached the attention of KAT due to a petition filed by A D Pramod, a BFO in Thrissur district. The petition, represented by Advocate Prasanth Sugathan, highlighted the promotion of BFOs to SFO positions in Thrissur during 2022 without passing the departmental tests. The plea called for the demotion of SFOs promoted in violation of the rules and the appointment of petitioners—who had successfully cleared the required tests—to the positions.
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