Overview
- The Hyderabad bench set aside the November 25, 2024 order appointing Jaiteerth R Joshi as Director General/CEO of BrahMos and directed a fresh decision within four weeks.
- The tribunal ordered an in‑charge arrangement that excludes Joshi pending reconsideration and declined to directly appoint petitioner S. N. Naidu.
- The order cited “manifest arbitrariness,” faulting post‑2022 SOP changes such as cutting required residual service to 12 months and listing recommended names alphabetically without rule support.
- Naidu’s supersession claim was upheld in part, with the bench noting both candidates scored 80 but Naidu is a Distinguished Scientist who completed the six‑year Scientist ‘H’ residency, while Joshi had about one year.
- DRDO argued the Chairman’s discretion under 2023 service rules and that seniority is not decisive, but the tribunal found no exceptional grounds for preferring Joshi as BrahMos advances domestic procurements and export deals.