Chandigarh, June 24 -- The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Chandigarh bench, has stayed the transfer of a National Informatics Centre (NIC) officer from the city to New Delhi, noting that the move could affect his son's Class 12 studies. The interim relief will remain in force until the next hearing. The order was passed by CAT member (judicial) Ramesh Singh Thakur while hearing an original application filed by NIC officer Girish Pant against the department of electronics and information technology. Pant had challenged a transfer order issued on June 16, 2026, directing his transfer from Chandigarh to the NIC headquarters in New Delhi. He sought a stay on the order and permission to continue serving at his present posting in Chandigarh. According to the application, the transfer was made without considering his request for retention. Pant contended that his son is studying in Class 12 in Chandigarh and relied on a Supreme Court judgment which discourages mid-session transfers that may adversely affect the education of employees' children. The applicant submitted that he had indicated his preferred station and later made representations seeking retention. He alleged that despite furnishing the documents sought by the authorities, his representations were not considered before the transfer order was issued. The respondents, represented before the tribunal, sought time to file a reply and submitted that the applicant had been serving at his present place of posting for the past 26 years. After hearing both sides and examining the documents placed on record, the tribunal observed that the applicant's representations did not appear to have been considered, particularly in light of the SC's ruling on transfers affecting school-going children. Holding that the matter warranted interim protection, the tribunal stayed the operation of the transfer order dated June 16, 2026, insofar as it concerned the applicant, until the next date of hearing....