Action sought against erring Co-op officials

Justice D Krishnakumar, who dismissed a petition filed by R Murugan, seeking a direction to appoint him as salesman, directed the official to conduct further enquiry about the selection list and the appointments made during the tenure of N Chandrasekaran, Joint Registrar, Co-operative Societies, as expeditiously as possible and submit a report to the court within six months.” 

As many as four illegal appointments, including that of petitioner Murugan, came to light when the petition filed by him came up for hearing. He had sought for a direction to the President, Thiruvlangadu Primary Agricultural Co-operative Credit Society, Nagapattinam, to permit him to join duty as a salesman as per an order passed by the Joint Registrar, Co-operative Societies. 

The Judge on going through the report of Registrar of Co-operative Societies in his order said, “According to the report, the selection proceedings of the petitioner is not genuine and appropriate action is contemplated to terminate the services of other three persons, whose names did not figure in the District Recruitment Bureau (DRB) selection list, and also to initiate severe disciplinary action against the persons responsible for issuing appointment orders to these persons.” 

The Judge who recorded the above in his order said, “Nature of the report itself prima facie clearly indicates that the selection proceedings of the petitioner as salesman in the Co-operative Department is not genuine and therefore, the Registrar has to initiate action against those persons who are responsible for issuing illegal selection list as well as appointment orders in the Department.” 

The matter relates to the appointment of the petitioner and three other candidates as salesmen in a fair price shop run by Co-operative societies after attending interview before the District Level Selection Committee on December 20, 2012. 

The Petitioner was selected by the Joint Registrar, Co-operative Societies and allotted Thiruvalangadu Primary Agricultural Co-operative Credit Society and an appointment order was also issued on February 1, 2013. But when the petitioner approached the then President of the Society, he was not allowed to Join duty. The case has been posted for further hearing to first week of November 2017.