HC orders issue of notice to TN officials

The Madras High Court today ordered notice to the Secretary and Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department, and Secretary of the Tamil Nadu PSC on a petition seeking quashing of amendment to the special rules for the HR and CE.
The petition also sought quashing of a notification issued in December last, which fixed experience of not less than six years in the Post of Executive officer (Grade-I) for applying for the post of Assitant Commissioner.
Admitting the petition filed by the Grade-I Executive officers, Justice M M Sundaresan ordred notice to the officials returnable by March first week.

The petitioners submitted that as per the notification law graduates having three years of experience (in the Bar) are eligible to apply for the post of Assistant Commissioner.
However in their case, though they were law graduates (with more than three years of experience in the Bar) and also worked as Grade-I Executive officers, the notification had fixed the criteria that they should have six years of experience as Gr-I Executive officers. This was arbitrary and illegal, they contended.
Besides prescribing the qualification of six years of minimum service for all E.Os (Gr-I or II or III or IV,or Inspector or Head clerk, or Manager or Superintendent) "is highly arbitrary".

The petitioners contended they were on par with practising advocates so far as experience in the bar was concerned, since they also possessed more than three years of experience prior to the appointment as executive officers, Grade-I.