Balaji’s appointment to TRANSTAN panel challenged

Balaji has been under the scanner over attesting the thumb impression of the late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospital in Form B of AIAIDMK candidates nominated for Aravakuruchi, Thanjavur and Tirupranakundram.

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Abdul Quddhose on ordering notice to the state on Monday posted the case for final hearing to January 19.

Advocate PVS Giridhar appearing on behalf of Arappor Iyakkam, which moved the plea contended that there has been no due consideration of either qualification or assessment of merit of Dr Balaji much less than any rational selection process.

Submitting that he has no experience whatsoever in transplant-related administration, the plea said at the first place he as an associate professor was hastily appointed as professor by creating a department of minimal access surgery in the Madras Medical College when neither medical science nor established academic and professional convention recognised Minimum Access Surgery as an independent branch of study or department.

Noting that the Department of Health and Family Welfare has failed to appreciate that Transtan performs public health functions of a statutory character, he said the by-laws clearly provide that the incumbent in the post of member secretary is required to have a high comprehension not only of medical aspects of transplanting human organs but also administering transplant-related programmes. But the principle of institutional integrity has been given a go-by and hence the impugned order appointing Dr Balaji is unsustainable in law, contented the petition.