The Railway Board is said to have been functioning with impunity in appointing officers who don't even get empanelled for DRM posts. In the Govt of India, empanelment is a pre-condition to get posted in higher rank posts. Take, for instance, the DRM panel for 2015-2016 that comprised of 69 names and was valid from July 01, 2015 to June 30, 2016. In the second lot of postings of DRMs on April 02, 2016, the Board left off the officers on the DRM panel and instead chose to post officers who were not empanelled as DRM. For example; the exclusion of R N Sunkar (IRSE:1985) proves the point. He appeared 06th on the list of 69 officers empanelled for DRM. Also, he was at 06th position among 12 IRSE officers on the panel comprising of 69 officers (both ways he was on 06th). In the first posting order issued on July 01, 2015, 02 officers were posted as DRM. This brought Sunkar to 04th position to get DRM posting in next order. However, on April 02, 2016 as many as 19 officers were picked for DRM posting from across services but Sunkar was ignored. Even officers junior to Sunkar who were not empanelled as DRM were posted as DRM. This is despite the fact that Sunkar had received National Award for his notable contribution in Konkan Railway and Metro Man E Sridharan praised his devotion to duty and exemplary contribution. In an apparent act of arbitrariness, 03 IRSEE officers who were not even empanelled for the post were promoted as DRM. Similarly, 02 IRTS officers of 1988 batch got DRM posting, although their names did not figure in the DRM panel. Further, two officers belonging to IRSS and IRSSE too were posted as DRM despite the fact that there was no vacancy against these cadres. May it be recalled that CAT in its decision (SK Agrawal Vs Union of India) dated 09 May 2014 directed the Ministry of Railways to ".....Draft a clear cut policy of posting of DRMs...." In accordance with this directive, the Board drafted a policy on 25 July 2014 and sent it to the DOPT. Scandalous as it may sound, the draft policy did not carry any signature of Board or Ministry officials. The draft policy is said to have been unclear and had many lacunae leaving avenues for arbitrary actions. Consequently, the DOPT objected to it on 26 Sept 2014 by recording that "...obtain the ACC's approval on a scheme of DRM appointments, since appointment /experience as DRM makes an impact on the appointment of GM (Open Line) and thereafter Member Railway Board. The ministry may formulate a scheme for DRM appointment based on merit and equal opportunity to all eligible officers and submit the same for ACC's approval...." As many as19 months have passed since the DOPT recorded its objection but the Ministry of Railways has failed to take approval of the ACC.