SC reverses ex-CJI’s decision, sends Registrar back to his parent cadre
Reversing a decision by former Chief Justice of India N V Ramana, the Supreme Court has revoked the appointment of Registrar Prasanna Kumar Suryadevara as a permanent employee of the court, The Indian Express has learnt.
Sources said Suryadevara has been repatriated to the News Division at All India Radio as of September 30.
Suryadevara, a Joint Director in Prasar Bharati, was appointed Officer on Special Duty at the rank of an Additional Registrar — in the role of a media consultant — during the tenure of former CJI Ramana in 2021. He was subsequently absorbed into the permanent cadre of the court at the rank of Registrar. It is learnt that by reversing the order of absorption made during the last week of CJI Ramana’s tenure, Suryadevara stood repatriated to his parent cadre. The Chief Justice of India plays the role of the administrative head of the Court.
The Indian Express sent a text message and called Suryadevara on his repatriation. He was unavailable for comment.
Suryadevara, who joined Prasar Bharti as News Reader-cum-Translator (Telugu), has held multiple high-profile assignments on deputation including in the Delhi Assembly where he was the centre of a political tussle between the Aam Admi Party-led Delhi government and the Lieutenant Governor.
Sources said while the Supreme Court has officers on deputation routinely from judicial services, it is only for specialised areas such as accounts and IT where officials are brought in on deputation from the government cadre.
Between 2004-2009, Suryadevara was OSD in the office of former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and from 2009-2015, he worked with former Rajya Sabha Chairperson Hamid Ansari. In 2015, he was appointed Secretary of the Delhi Legislative Assembly but in 2016, LG Najeeb Jung had passed orders to repatriate him back to All India Radio.
Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel had sought the consent of Directorate General of All India Radio to absorb “as Secretary of Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi on permanent basis,” when the L-G passed repatriation orders. Goel then moved the Delhi HC challenging the L-G’s decision.
“Shri Suryadevara has gained experience and expertise in the matters of Legislative functioning through his service of more than 12 years in the Legislative arena including over 11 years that he had spent in the service of Parliament of India out of a total of 23 years of service he had put in so far,” Goel had said in a statement made to the Assembly in September 2016 defending Suryadevara.
Prasar Bharti had also taken a stand in Court that Suryadevara had to join his parent organisation immediately failing which he will be treated to be on “unauthorised absence”.
