Former civic chief rapped for giving incorrect statement

The petitioner’s plea for appointment was rejected mainly because of non-production of certificate that his family was poor and required that compassionate appointment. But the court noted that the tahsildar had sent the certificate directly to the assistant executive engineer of Greater Chennai Corporation on July 7, 2009. However, R Lalitha, the Commissioner in-charge, gave a contradictory statement, which has now earned the court’s ire.

Even as he accepted that the counter affidavit would have been drafted by her subordinate with the assistance of the Corporation counsel, Justice S Vaidyanathan said being an IAS officer, it was her bounden duty to ascertain the facts before ascribing her signature. “For no fault of the petitioner, he cannot be made to languish for more than a decade and he is entitled to be appointed on compassionate grounds,” the judge said while quashing the rejection order.

Though it was a case fit to impose cost of not less than Rs 10,000 on the official, the court was refraining from doing so, he said. “Instead, it is directed that she shall be posted only in a non-sensitive post,” Justice Vaidyanathan said. The court then directed the Corporation to provide employment to the petitioner on compassionate grounds on or before the end of November, failing which he would be deemed to have entered service from September 1.