Legal Help for Government & PSU Employees in Service Disputes
Service law covers the disputes that arise between an employee and a government department, public sector undertaking, or other public employer — from a chargesheet or suspension order to a denied promotion, a wrong pay fixation, or a withheld pension. These matters are governed by the service rules that apply to the particular post, the Constitution of India (including the protection under Article 311 for civil servants), and the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.
We advise and represent employees across Delhi, Ghaziabad and Noida at every stage — replying to a show-cause notice or chargesheet, filing a departmental appeal or representation, and challenging a final order before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) or by way of a writ petition before the High Court.
Service Matters We Handle
Disciplinary Proceedings: Replies to show-cause notices and chargesheets, assistance during the departmental inquiry, and challenges to penalties such as dismissal, removal, compulsory retirement, reduction in rank, or withholding of increments.
Suspension & Termination: Challenging prolonged or unjustified suspension, and termination orders passed without following the procedure required by the applicable rules.
Promotion, Seniority & ACRs: Disputes over seniority lists, supersession in promotion, DPC proceedings, and adverse entries in Annual Confidential Reports / APARs.
Pay, Pension & Retiral Benefits: Pay fixation, recovery of excess payments, MACP/ACP benefits, and delayed or withheld pension, gratuity, and leave encashment.
Transfers & Recruitment: Challenges to mala fide or rule-violating transfer orders, and disputes over recruitment, selection, and regularisation.
Tribunal & High Court Litigation: Original applications before the CAT, and writ petitions before the High Court for employees of PSUs, public sector banks, and bodies that fall outside the CAT’s jurisdiction.
Which Forum Hears Your Service Dispute?
Central Government employees: Service disputes of Central Government employees (and of employees of the Delhi government and notified bodies) are ordinarily filed first before the Central Administrative Tribunal. The CAT Principal Bench sits in New Delhi. A CAT order can then be challenged before the High Court.
Uttar Pradesh Government employees: Employees of the UP state government — including those posted in Ghaziabad and Noida — ordinarily approach the UP State Public Services Tribunal, with further remedies before the Allahabad High Court.
PSU, bank & autonomous-body employees: Where the employer is a ‘State’ under Article 12 of the Constitution but is not covered by the CAT, the remedy is usually a writ petition before the High Court under Article 226.
Choosing the correct forum at the start avoids months lost to a petition being returned for lack of jurisdiction. We assess this at the first consultation.
How a Service Matter Proceeds
1. Document review: Studying the order under challenge, the applicable service rules, the chargesheet or inquiry record, and your service history.
2. Departmental remedy: Filing an appeal, revision, or representation where the rules provide one — the Tribunal ordinarily expects these remedies to be used first (Section 20 of the Administrative Tribunals Act).
3. Original application or writ: Drafting and filing the original application before the Tribunal, or a writ petition before the High Court, along with any application for interim relief such as a stay of the impugned order.
4. Hearing & compliance: Arguing the matter through to final order, and following up on implementation — including contempt proceedings if a favourable order is not complied with.
Act Quickly — Limitation Is Strict
Applications before the CAT are subject to limitation under Section 21 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, generally one year from the final order (with specific rules where an appeal or representation has been pending). Delay can be condoned only on sufficient cause. Writ petitions have no fixed limitation period, but unexplained delay can still defeat a good case. If you have received an adverse order, it is best to seek advice as soon as possible.
Facing a Service Dispute?
If you are a government, PSU, or public-sector bank employee in Delhi, Ghaziabad, or Noida dealing with a chargesheet, penalty, promotion, or pension issue, get in touch to discuss your options.
Frequently Asked Questions
A service matter is a dispute about the conditions of service of an employee of the government or a public employer — for example disciplinary action, suspension, dismissal, promotion, seniority, pay fixation, transfer, or pension and retiral benefits.
Central Government employees and employees of notified bodies ordinarily go to the Central Administrative Tribunal first, and can challenge its order before the High Court. Employees of PSUs, public sector banks, and other bodies not covered by the CAT usually file a writ petition directly before the High Court. UP state government employees ordinarily approach the UP State Public Services Tribunal.
Yes. Under Section 21 of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985, an application must generally be filed within one year of the final order, with specific provisions where an appeal or representation was pending. A delay can be condoned only if sufficient cause is shown, so it is best to act promptly.
Courts and tribunals interfere with a chargesheet at the initial stage only in limited situations — for example where it is issued by an authority without competence or the charges disclose no misconduct at all. In most cases the better course is to defend the inquiry carefully and challenge the final order if it is adverse.