KARACHI, Feb 14: The Supreme Court admitted on Tuesday, a federal government appeal against a Sindh High Court order for reconsideration of the promotion cases of three income tax department officers.

Recalling its order of May 17, 2006, whereby the government was refused leave to appeal, a three-member bench headed by the chief justice at the SC’s principal seat observed that the order was passed in oblivion of the leave granted to the government on May 15, 2006, to challenge a Federal Service Tribunal decision in an identical case. The appellant’s counsel failed to bring the earlier order to the court’s notice.

By the impugned order, a Sindh High Court division bench had directed the Establishment Division on April 6, 2006, to reconvene a meeting of the Central Selection Board within two months to reconsider the promotion cases of income tax commissioners Khan Matiur Rehman, Malik Bashir Ahmed and Iqbal Ahmed Jumani from Grade 20 to Grade 21. A Supreme Court bench at Karachi declined the government leave to appeal on May 17, 2006, and the high court issued a contempt notice to the establishment secretary when the order was not complied with by June 4.

Advocates M. Bilal and Hafiz S.A Rahman appeared for the appellant division and Advocates Shahanshah Husain, Dr M. Farogh Naseem and Mansoorul Haq Solangi for the respondent officers.