Madras High Court directs Anna library to consider applicant for post

CHENNAI: Rejecting the reasons cited by the authorities to turn down the application of a petitioner to the post of librarian and information officer at the Anna Centenary Library, the Madras High Court issued a direction to consider the application on merits.

Justice N Anand Venkatesh while closing the petition wrote, It is illegal and unsustainable under the purview of law that the petitioner's application was not considered even though he secured a higher cut-off than the other candidates who have been called for the oral test.

The judge also refused to accept the contention of Anna Centenary Library that the petitioner's application was not considered on the grounds that he does not have adequate experience for the post going by the material evidence submitted by the petitioner.

The petitioner R Arikrishnan moved a petition seeking to quash the order of the respondent rejecting his application for the post of librarian and information officer.

The respondent submitted that the scrutiny committee went through the materials submitted by the petitioner and found that the petitioner does not have five years of experience as a librarian after completing his educational qualification, which is crucial for the post.

The petitioner placed material evidence establishing his 12 years of experience as a librarian.

He submitted proof of his work at Anna Centenary Library itself apart from experience in various educational institutions as a librarian.

The petitioner had contended that even after he secured 297 marks in the written exam, the respondent called other candidates, who had secured lower marks, for the oral test.

After hearing the submissions, the court found that the grounds raised in the counter for rejecting the candidature of the petitioner were unsustainable.

The court directed the respondent to add the petitioner to the list of candidates for the oral test.