‘No negative equality’: HC rejects cop’s claim of gallantry promotion

CHANDIGARH: In an order defining limits of gallantry-linked service benefits, Punjab and Haryana HC has held a police officer posted as a ‘reader’ to a DSP and not issued any weapon cannot claim out-of-turn promotion meant for personnel injured in the operation that followed the July 2015 Dinanagar terror attack in Punjab.HC made it clear that administrative benefits tied to battlefield injury could not be expanded on grounds of parity, remarking that there could not be negative equality and courts could not perpetuate illegality merely because others might have been wrongly favoured.Justice Jagmohan Bansal passed these orders while dismissing the petition filed by Jasbir Singh, a Punjab police officer who sought promotion benefits for his purported role in the anti-terror operation.On July 27, 2015, heavily armed terrorists, dressed in Army uniforms, opened fire at Dinanagar police station in Gurdaspur district, killing and injuring several policemen and civilians.Following the attack, Punjab’s council of ministers approved a series of relief and recognition measures for those affected. It included payment of full salary until superannuation to families of martyred employees, promotion and free medical treatment for injured employees, financial assistance for injured civilians and families of deceased civilians, and recruitment benefits for certain affected home guards and next of kin.In his plea before HC, Jasbir argued he reported to the police station and faced the terrorists bravely but was denied promotion that were allegedly granted to other officials, including some who, he claimed, were not even present on the scene.