The appointment of Vidya Chander Pharka (IAS:1983: HP) as Chief Secretary to the Govt of Himachal Pradesh has suffered a further blow as CAT Chandigarh has taken umbrage at the delay on the part of HP govt in filing its reply in the OA filed by Vineet Chawdhry (IAS:1982:HP) challenging  Pharka's appointment. CAT has come down heavily on the State Govt for failing to notify the post of Principal Advisor as equivalent to that of Chief Secretary. Chawdhry had been appointed Principal Advisor on the directions issued by CAT. Brushing aside arguments that all posts in the apex scale were already equivalent to Chief Secretary, CAT said it would restrain respondent No. 03 from functioning as the Chief Secretary if orders equating the post of Principal Advisor with that of Chief Secretary along with consequential privileges and allowances were not issued by the State Govt. The matter has now been listed for the 14th of March.