MADURAI
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday set aside a single judge’s order directing the appointment of Revwathy Kailairajan as Director of Medical Education (DME). The court also set aside two Government Orders issued for fixing the seniority list for appointment and the appointment of Edwin Joe as the DME.
A division bench of Justices M. Venugopal and Abdul Quddhose, hearing the appeal of Health and Family Welfare department, directed the department to reconsider the case of Dr. Revwathy Kailairajan, Dr. Edwin Joe and Dr. A.L. Meenakshi Sundaram afresh for appointment as the DME within six weeks.
The court observed that the department had not weighed the pros and cons of comparative merit, ability and seniority of the Medical Officers.
The department had earlier appealed against a single bench order which had directed the appointment of Dr. Revwathy Kailairajan, Dean, Karur Medical College, as the DME. The court had also quashed the appointment of Dr. Edwin Joe in the post.
In its appeal, the government argued that the appointment of Dr. Edwin Joe, Dean, Coimbatore Medical College, as the DME was in accordance with rules and regulations and he had the seniority as per the Tamil Nadu Medical Service Rules.
Dr. Meenakshi Sundaram, Dean, Tiruvarur Medical College, was impleaded in the case.
Dr. Revwathy Kailairajan had earlier moved the court following the appointment of Dr. Edwin Joe. She had said Health and Family Welfare department had failed to consider the eligibility criteria fulfilled by her.
