Madras HC directs health dept to promote woman lab technician

The Madras High Court today pulled up the state health department for denying promotion to a woman lab technician and directed it to promote her with all monetary benefits.
Justice T Raja, who upheld the contention of petitioner Poongodi that her due promotion from Grade-II to Grade-I has been denied since 2000 and she had to undergo mental and physical harassment, also slapped Rs 10,000 as costs on the Health Department.
As the authorities did not consider her repeated pleas for promotion, she moved the High Court.
Even as Poongadi continued her legal battle, the authorities insisted that she withdraw her petition as a pre- condition to consider her for promotion, she submitted.

Poongadi joined as Grade-II Lab Technician in 1987-88 at Vellore Government TB Centre and was later transferred to Vellore Government Medical College and Hospital.
However, the authorities contended that the woman staff herself has opted to forgo promotion earlier and she cannot claim the benefit for at least three years, which the court rejected.
The Judge directed the Authorities that Poongodi is eligible for promotion as Grade-I Lab Technician and to restore her seniority with all the other monetary benefits from the due date of her promotion.