CAT notice to govt on foreign secy's appointment

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has directed the government to place before it records pertaining to Shivshankar Menon's appointment as foreign secretary.

The CAT direction came on an application by senior IFS officer Veena Sikri, who wanted the government to make public the process of selection to the key post.

Sikri, a 1971 batch IFS officer, and 16 other officers were superseded when the government approved the name of Menon, a year junior to them.

The tribunal has sought replies from the Prime Minister's Office, Cabinet Secretariat, External Affairs Ministry and Department of Personnel and Training, and has asked them to bring all relevant records before it.