Clearing the decks for conducting counselling for transfer of teachers, a division bench of the A.P. High Court comprising Justice V.V.S. Rao and Justice Krishna Mohana Reddy on Thursday stayed the operation of the A.P. Administrative Tribunal’s (APAT) orders pertaining to the ongoing counselling process.
Interim orders
The interim orders will clear hindrances in the counselling process. The bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by the State government challenging the APAT’s orders that make it mandatory for teachers, who work in a place for two years, eligible for seeking transfer through counselling.
The APAT gave the orders when some teachers approached it seeking permission to attend the counselling. They contended that the two-year period should be calculated on the basis of various factors, including the period which was lost due to joining. The APAT directed the government to permit these teachers to participate in the counselling.
The government informed the High Court that when the rule mandates two years service at one place, the APAT could not interpret it to defeat the spirit behind the rule. The bench suspended the operation of Tribunal’s order.
