Probe quota lapses in Group 2 postings: HC
TNPSC had moved the HC seeking to quash its 2017 directive to select a petitioner for the post of assistant in the combined subordinate services examination
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) has directed the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) to constitute a committee to find out reservation anomalies that occurred in the candidate selection process in the 2012 Group 2 examination and also directed the commission to give appointment to a meritorious candidate within 30 days.
TNPSC had moved the HC seeking to quash its 2017 directive to select a petitioner for the post of assistant in the combined subordinate services examination. In the meantime, petitioner S Saibulla also filed a contempt petition against TNPSC for willful disobedience of the court order. Since both are related, a division bench comprising Justice R Suresh Kumar and Justice K Kumaresh Babu clubbed both petitions.
According to the contempt, Saibulla attended the Group 2 exam in 2012, secured 223.50 cut-off marks and was eligible for posting under the BC Muslim (General) quota. The TNPSC, however, denied the post of assistant in the combined subordinate services examination and selected a less-meritorious candidate. Saibulla contended that though the court ruled in his favour, the TNPSC refused to comply.
TNPSC had contended that 69 posts were earmarked and filled following the reservation policy. Though the petitioner has secured the cut-off mark, other candidates possessing post-graduate certificates were given preference.
However, during the trial, the affidavit by the TNPSC secretary admitted that less meritorious candidates were selected, and blamed the misleading positional note given by the officials for the mess. Further, it stated that disciplinary action had been initiated against the officials who suppressed the selection of less meritorious candidates.
The Bench then directed the TNPSC to give selection to the petitioner within 30 days and directed disciplinary action against erring officials under Rule 17 (b) of the TN Civil Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules.
Further, it asked TNPSC to constitute a committee to conduct an in-house inquiry to identify the lapses in the selection process and submit a report within three months and dismissed the appeal preferred by TNPSC.
