Don’t question selection mode after participation: HC

Justice N Anand Venkatesh, while dismissing the plea moved by P Manikkam challenging the appointment, said, “It is true that public employment should not be based only on interviews and it may give rise to arbitrariness. However, in the present case, the interview was made as criteria for selection for all those eligible candidates and there was a method that was followed for conducting the interview.”

Further, the judge said, “The petitioner was well aware of the fact that the interview will be the criteria for selection to the said post. Therefore, he cannot be allowed to challenge the criteria after having participated in the selection. The records produced before this court show that all the eligible candidates were interviewed by a three-member committee and marks have been assigned for each criterion. Therefore, this court does not find any arbitrariness in the selection process adopted by the Namakkal District Collector.”

The counsel appearing for the petitioner had contended that the entire selection process was bad, as interview is the only criterion through which the inter se merits of the candidates isdetermined.