MHC constitutes two-member committee to probe appointments in Pachaiyappa's institutions
The committee should look into the respective qualifications and other eligibility criteria of every appointee if the appointee is eligible to be appointed or not, observed the bench.
Madras High Court (File)
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court constituted a two-member committee, headed by the retired Justice B Gokuldas, to submit a detailed report on the appointments of 254 candidates to the post of assistant professors in the institutions of the Pachaiyappa's trust.
A division bench of the MHC comprising Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq observed that on a perusal of the factual background of the case as well as the documents and papers placed, it cannot be denied that serious irregularities have been taking place in the various appointments made to the teaching faculties to the various colleges and institutions of the Pachaiyappa's trust.
Therefore, the bench constituted a two-member committee headed by retired MHC Justice B Gokuldas, he will be assisted by the educationalist D Freeda Gnana Rani, former principal of Quaid-e-Millath government college for women, observed the bench. The committee will begin its function from August 7, 2023, read the order.
The committee should look into the respective qualifications and other eligibility criteria of every appointee if the appointee is eligible to be appointed or not, observed the bench.
Further documents and other clarificatory details can be produced by the respective appointees to the committee on or before August 19,.2023 in person at the Director of Collegiate Education, read the order.
The Committee shall scrutinise all documents, and after considering all details as submitted by the parties, to state the eligibility of the 254 candidates and submit the report in a sealed cover, on or before September 27, 2023, observed the bench.
Further, the bench directed Pachaiyappa's Trust Board to provide all facilities for the committee to function.
A batch of appeals was filed before the Madras High Court (MHC) to set aside the single judge's order, which quashed the 254 appointments of the post of assistant professors in the various institutions of the Pachaiyappa's Trust between 2013 - 2014.
The appellants advocated that the petitioners before the single judge are not maintainable as they lacked locus standi.
