Reconsider order quashing TNPCB member's appointment: SC to HC

The Supreme Court has asked the Madras High Court to decide afresh a plea of a Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) member against its decision to quash his appointment to the panel.
A bench of justices Vikramajit Sen and Shiva Kirti Singh, while disposing of the appeal of sacked TNPCB member K Karthikeyan, said, "The impugned order is set aside with a request to the high court to the matter afresh and decide the interim application of the petitioner before this court expeditiously preferably within a period of three weeks."
The high court, in an order on February 11, had set aside the appointment of Karthikeyan as a member of TNPCB.

The apex court also noted that there was no representation on behalf of Karthikeyan as there was lawyers' strike in the high court.
"The petitioner has been in the employment of the TNPCB since 1986 and without any allegations has a unblemished record," the plea said, adding that moreover his appointment cannot be challenged "under the garb of PIL".
The plea, before the apex court, said that the relevant educational and technical experience of Karthikeyan was considered by the state government at the time of his appointment as member of TNPCB.
"The pending departmental inquiry is also considered by the respondent (State) before issuing the said appointment," the plea said.