Supreme Court Upholds Telangana Constable's Accelerated Promotion For Countering Naxal Attack
Yash Mittal
19 March 2026 12:57 PM IST
"When the respondent has fired more rounds and was instrumental in repelling the attack by the 3 Naxalites, his role cannot be belittled."
The Supreme Court upheld the grant of accelerated promotion to a Telangana-based Police Head Constable who had been denied the benefit by the State government, despite discharging the same duties as another similarly placed constable who was promoted for resisting a Naxalite attack on a police station.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and NV Anjaria dismissed the State of Telangana's appeal against the High Court's Division Bench order, which had upheld the Single Bench order to extend the benefit of an accelerated promotion to the Respondent-constable, which was denied to him but was granted to others.
“The object of giving accelerated promotion…is to lift the morale of the police personnel. Therefore, keeping in view the object of giving accelerated promotion to counter Naxalites attack, the High Court was clearly justified in giving effect to the object of the G.O. by granting accelerated promotion to the respondent.”, the court observed.
The case relates to the denial of the accelerated promotion benefits to the Respondent-head constable, who played a significant role, as others, while resisting the Naxalite attack that took place at the Police Station on the night of 30.01.1999.
Accelerated promotion benefits are extended time to time to the police personnel, with a view to improve the morale in the police force, to such police personnel who have been involved in countering extremism/Naxal activities.
Aggrieved by the Government Order (GO) granting the benefit to other persons, while rejecting his application, he filed a Writ Petition before the High Court, where the Single Bench and Division Bench, directed the extension of the accelerated promotional benefit to the Respondent.
Against the High Court's order, the State appealed to the Supreme Court.
Affirming the impugned order, the bench acknowledged the Respondent's crucial role in defending the police station against the Naxalite attack, noting that he in fact had fired more rounds to repel the attacks. Thus, the rejection of his application for accelerated promotion via GO was unjustified.
“When admittedly the respondent has fired more rounds and was instrumental in repelling the attack by the 3 Naxalites in the police station, his role cannot be belittled for denial of accelerated promotion.”, the court observed.
Accordingly, the appeal was dismissed.
Cause Title: THE STATE OF TELANGANA & ORS. VERSUS P SRINIVAS
Citation : 2026 LiveLaw (SC) 263
Appearance:
For Petitioner(s) :Mr. K Ravindra Kumar, A.S.G. Ms. Devina Sehgal, AOR Mr. Yatharth Kansal, Adv.
For Respondent(s) :