HC moved against govt employees holding diocesan posts

The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court today ordered notice to Tamil Nadu government and church authorities on a petition seeking action against government employees and teachers of aided schools allegedly holding posts of diocesan council members in violation of Government Servants Conduct Rules.
When the petition by a member of CSI Cathedral here came up for hearing, Justice R.Mahadevan ordered notice to officials, including the Chief Secretary and Secretaries of education department, the Bishop of Docess of Madurai Ramnad and Church of South India (CSI).
Petitioner Julius Jawahar Devakandan submitted that as per Government Conduct rules, government servants, including those working in a government-aided organisation, are prohibited from holding any post in communal and religious organisations.

He said elections were held once in three years for the Pastorates, which managed 150 educational institutions, including schools.
Most of the diocese educational institutes were aided by the government and the teachers working in them were governed by government rules. Several members of the Pastorates were also working in government organisation, he said.
He claimed nearly 52 diocese council members in various pastorates were working as teaching and non-teaching staff in government and government-aided schools and colleges which was against the rules and sought action against them.