Delhi HC junks plea challenging appointment of Director of CIMFR

The Delhi High Court has junked a plea challenging appointment of Director in the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research at Dhanbad.

A bench of Chief Justice Dhirubhai Naranbhai Patel and C Hari Shankar said there was no substance in the petition and imposed a cost of Rs 10,000 on the petitioner.

"It has not been mentioned in the writ petition that this petitioner and the respondent No.3 (current director) were short listed for the purpose of appointment as Director in Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad. Thus, this petitioner has suppressed the material fact that he was at the relevant time considered for the post of Director but the respondent No.3 was selected leaving aside this petitioner," the bench said.

The high court said that it appeared from the facts of the case that after being appointed as Scientist-B, the current director got promotions and reached to the post of Director.

"At the relevant stage, this petitioner and respondent No.3 both, were competing for the post of Director but this petitioner was not appointed on the post of Director and respondent No 3 was appointed on the post of Director.

"Hence, also, this writ petition as public interest litigation is not tenable at law, especially when this fact was suppressed. It further appears from the facts of the case that respondent No.3 even on today possess the requisite qualification of the degree of M.Sc. for the post of Scientist B and thereafter has got promotions one after one and at present is Director at Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research, Dhanbad," it said.

Advocates Cauveri Birbal and Indrajit Sinha, appeared for the current director in the case.

The high court was hearing a PIL by one Virendra Kumar Singh seeking directions to produce records pertaining to the appointment of the current director of Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) till date.