2 min readChandigarhMar 27, 2026 04:19 PM ISTFile Photo of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued notice to the State Bank of India and a retired officer on a petition challenging his post-retirement appointment as head (legal) of the bank.Justice Jagmohan Bansal passed the order on Wednesday in a petition titled ‘Raj Kumar Sharma vs Union of India and others’.The petition, filed by Raj Kumar Sharma, questions the contractual appointment of the retired officer, contending that the post is a public office under Article 12 of the Constitution and must be filled through a regular selection process.Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Harsh Chopra argued that the appointment violated Ministry of Finance guidelines and principles of fairness in public employment. Additional Solicitor General Satya Pal Jain, appearing via video conferencing along with Central Government Counsel Karanvir Singh Kathuria, represented the Union of India.According to the petition, the respondent joined SBI in 1978 and retired on July 31, 2018, on attaining the age of 60. He was subsequently engaged as an advisor in 2018 and later appointed as head (legal) on a contractual basis in 2019 following an advertisement. His tenure was extended up to 2026.The petitioner alleges that this extension allows the officer to continue beyond the age of 65 years, contrary to Ministry of Finance circulars dated December 29, 2008, and January 12, 2015, which restrict re-employment of retired public sector bank officials to exceptional circumstances.It has further been alleged that the appointment resulted in loss of career progression for eligible serving employees and involved payment of high compensation, initially around Rs 65 lakh per annum and later exceeding Rs 2 crore annually.Story continues below this adThe petitioner also referred to an RTI application seeking details of the appointment, which was rejected on December 10, 2024. He has alleged that the process violates Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution and has sought quashing of the appointment, disclosure of records, and an inquiry into the selection process.The matter will now be taken up for further hearing on September 22. © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Punjab and Haryana HCsbi