Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The state government has given an undertaking in the high court that it will not give promotions under the new promotion policy till July 15. This comes in the wake of a petition by the Samanya Pichhda Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj (SAPAKS), challenging the new promotion policy.

The division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf directed the state government to file its reply within a week. The matter will be next heard on July 15. 

Advocate Suyash Mohan Guru, representing SAPAKS, argued, “There is no difference between the previous promotion policy and this new one. The issue is currently pending before the Supreme Court. Hence, the state government cannot implement reservation in promotions under the new policy until the apex court has taken a final decision.

Earlier, when the High Court was inclined to grant a stay, the Advocate General gave an undertaking that the government would not implement reservation in promotions under the new rules immediately, and requested more time.”

The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Promotion Rules, 2025, include 20% reservation for ST and 16% for SC communities.

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet approved rules for the promotion of state government employees and officials on June 17 this year. Promotions of government employees in Madhya Pradesh have been on hold since 2016 due to a pending case on reservation in promotions in the Supreme Court. The government had filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP), resulting in a virtual freeze on promotions.