Tripura cabinet approves Justice Lodh Committee recommendations to regularize 13,082 ad-hoc promotions under the 2021 policy, granting full financial and pension benefits to employees, subject to the Supreme Court’s final verdict on the pending promotion-related SLP.
the Tripura cabinet has approved the regularisation of 13,082 ad-hoc promotions granted to state government employees and officers under the 2021 promotion policy. The decision, announced on Monday, marks one of the largest workforce-stabilisation measures undertaken by the state in recent years and is expected to bring clarity, security, and financial relief to thousands of employees who have long awaited a final resolution on their service status.
Briefing the media about the cabinet meeting, Minister Sushanta Chowdhury said that the government decided to accept the recommendations of the committee headed by Justice Arindam Lodh, a retired Judge of the High Court. The committee had been constituted specifically to examine multiple legal aspects surrounding ad-hoc promotions issued over the last several years and to advise the government on a sustainable, legally sound framework for regularisation.
According to Chowdhury, the Lodh Committee closely scrutinised procedural gaps, statutory requirements, and service rules before recommending that all promotions granted as per the 2021 policy be treated as regular, provided they adhere to legal norms and subject to the judiciary’s final direction. He clarified that the regularisation would apply to all 13,082 cases, including employees who have already retired after receiving ad-hoc promotions.
Importantly, the minister emphasised that the regularisation decision is conditional on the final outcome of an ongoing Supreme Court case. The state government’s Special Leave Petition (SLP) related to promotion matters is currently pending before the Apex Court, and the cabinet’s move is aligned with legal prudence to ensure no conflict with judicial oversight.
Chowdhury informed that the employees who received ad-hoc promotions in 2021 would now be entitled to all consequential benefits, including salary revisions, seniority advantages, and pension benefits, with effect from the original date of their ad-hoc elevation. This is expected to significantly benefit a large section of employees whose financial calculations, service tenure records, and retirement benefits were previously in a state of uncertainty.
The 2021 promotion policy was introduced as a temporary administrative measure to fill functional gaps arising from pending recruitment, service rule constraints, and cadre shortages. However, the ad-hoc nature of these promotions created long-term service-related ambiguity, prompting repeated demands from employee associations for full regularisation.
The formation of the Justice Lodh Committee marked a turning point, as the government sought an objective, legally compliant roadmap. The committee is understood to have examined central and state precedents, various Supreme Court judgments on service regularisation, and the specific administrative circumstances in Tripura before suggesting that the promotions be upheld as regular.
Sources in the administration indicate that the committee’s recommendations were comprehensive, addressing both individual service rights and the state’s wider administrative interests. By adopting these recommendations, the cabinet aims to strike a balance between organisational efficiency and employee welfare.
The decision is also expected to reduce ongoing administrative litigation. A large number of employees had filed cases or considered legal remedies due to the prolonged period of uncertainty over their promotional status. With the cabinet’s approval, many such disputes are expected to reach closure, although the government maintains that the final outcome still rests with the Supreme Court.
Employee organisations in Tripura have welcomed the move, describing it as a landmark decision that demonstrates the government’s commitment to protecting the interests of the workforce. Some groups also appreciated the inclusion of retired employees in the regularisation process, noting that many had retired without receiving the full financial benefits of their higher positions.
Political observers believe the decision could have broader implications for the state’s administrative efficiency. Regularisation is expected to improve morale, strengthen accountability, and enhance productivity across departments. With a more stable seniority structure, promotions and transfers within various cadres can also be streamlined.
However, legal experts caution that the final judicial decision will be crucial. While the cabinet’s approval provides considerable relief to thousands of employees, any adverse verdict from the Supreme Court in the pending SLP may require further administrative review or policy correction.
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For now, the cabinet’s action marks a major step toward resolving a long-standing administrative issue and reinforcing stability within Tripura’s public-service apparatus.
