Assailing the latest appointment of 11 members to the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC), the Advocates’ Forum for Social Justice, the lawyers’ wing of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), has moved the Madras High Court seeking to declare the appointments as illegal.
'New members lack experience'
President of the forum K. Balu contended that many of the new members were advocates who have no knowledge or experience in the administration or in recruitment nor have the required qualities to perform the duties as a member of the commission, which has been constituted as mandated by the Constitution of India to perform specific duties. Though detailed procedure has not been laid down for appointments to the commission, the State government is expected to consider candidates with high integrity and competence.
“Seven of the 11 members are either government advocates or standing counsels of the State owned undertakings appointed by the ruling AIADMK government. All these persons are appointed as members of TNPSC based on their affiliation to the ruling party,” the petitioner alleged.
Appointments arbitrary
Contending that the appointments were arbitrary and the government has failed to follow any guidelines prescribed by the Supreme Court, the petitioner said,
“For the first time in the history of the TNPSC, seven out of 15 members belong to the non-service category, that too all from the legal fraternity.”
Seeking an interim stay on the operation of the appointments, the petitioner prayed the court to declare the Government Order dated January 31 illegal and consequently set aside the appointments. The plea is likely to be heard by the First Bench on Wednesday.
