Delhi HC refuses to stay appointment process for DMRC MD post

The petition challenged the Delhi government's Feb10 notification calling for applications for the post, contending that it was arbitrary, irrational, unfair and contrary to the due procedure of law

The Delhi High Court Thursday refused to stay the process of appointment of Managing Director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) while asking the Centre and Delhi government to respond to a plea seeking direction to fix a uniform age of 60 years for external and internal candidates applying for the post.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Neena Bansal Krishna issued notices to the Delhi government and Centre, through the Ministries of Housing and Urban Affairs and Law and Justice, and granted time to the authorities to file response to the Public Interest Litigation.

The court, which listed the matter for further hearing on April 29, refused to stay the appointment procedure at this stage.

The petition challenged the Delhi government's February 10 notification calling for applications for the post, contending that it was arbitrary, irrational, unfair and contrary to the due procedure of the law.

Petitioner and advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay sought to declare the upper age limit for the post of Managing Director shall be uniform, that is, 60 years and candidates who were eligible on the date of vacancy, that is, October 1, 2021, shall be eligible to apply for the post.

The notification states that the maximum age to apply for the post is 60 years for the internal candidates but it is 58 years for the rest of the candidates. Moreover, it considers employees of Lucknow Metro, Chennai Metro, etc, as outsider, which is arbitrary, irrational and a brazen violation of Articles 14, 16 and 21, the plea said.