HC orders notice to Secretaries of Union govt

The Madras High Court bench here today ordered issue of a notice to the Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training on a plea seeking legal action against an IAS officer for allegedly misusing his official position as per All India Service rules and All India Service (Discipline and Appeal Rules) 1955.
Justice Sasidharan also ordered issue of a notice to the IAS officer C Umashanker and posted the matter for hearing to September three.
The petitioner, M Jothi, President, Hindu Sambavar Community, submitted that Umashanker had visited West Paracheri village in Kanyakumari district some weeks before and conducted illgal prayer meetings in some places on hehalf of a particular religion.

The state government has already issued an order prohibiting illegal conduct of prayer meetings in the village, where communal tension is alrady prevailing, the petitioner contended.
"Umashankar, being an IAS officer, is aware of it but was supporting a particular religion by misusing his official position", the petitioner claimed.
The Tahsildhar had also passed an order prohibiting conducting religious meetings in the village.
The High Court had also dismissed a petition earlier filed against the Tahsildhar's order, the petitioner contended and sought action against Umashanker.