The Madras High Court Bench here has dismissed a couple of writ petitions filed by the Staff Welfare Association of Gandhigram Institute of Rural Health and Family Welfare (GIRHFW) at Ambathurai in Dindigul district against the appointment of S. Seethalakshmi as Director (in-charge) of the GIRHFW Trust.
Justice S. Vaidyanathan held that her appointment “is perfectly valid in the eye of law and the amendment carried out in the service rules cannot be said to be bad in law because they were amended not to accommodate an individual (Dr. Seethalakshmi) but with the vast vision and intention of improving and uplifting rural health.”
Pointing out that Gandhigram Institute was established with the intention of serving the rural populace in remembrance of Mahatma Gandhi’s revolutionary concept of Nai Talim (knowledge and work are not separate), the judge lamented that “such a noble organisation has been pulled to court by members of petitioner association.”
He pointed out that there was no irregularity apparent on the face of the record in the appointment of Dr. Seethalakshmi since she had duly participated in the selection process and came out successful from among four doctors called for the interview. He also rejected the argument that she did not possess the requisite qualifications.
“The association cannot dictate the Trust as to who has to be inducted as Director and cannot question as to why the other one, namely Chellathurai was not given preference in the selection. Perhaps, the Trust, at the time of interview, would have thought that Dr. Seethalakshmi is a better and suitable hand for them,” the judge added.
Mr. Justice Vaidyanathan went on to state: “The submission of the respondents that except few doctors such as Dr. Seethalakshmi, other doctors with higher qualification in the field of medicine are reluctant to work in the rural area, since their main aim of acquiring qualifications is to mint money and lead a sophisticated life in cities, cannot be brushed aside.”
