The Madras High Court has by an interim order stayed the appointment of Ajeet Kumar Saxena, an Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) grade officer, as a Technical Member to the Railway Claims Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench.
A Division Bench of Justices S. Manikumar and M. Govindaraj passed the interim order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition moved by G. Eswar Lal, office-bearer of the Southern Railway Mazdoor Union (SRMU).
The petitioner prayed the court to declare illegal an order dated March 22, issued by the Under Secretary, Railway Board, New Delhi, appointing Mr. Saxena, presently the Chief Commercial Manager of the Southern Railway (due to retire on March 31), as a technical member of the Railway Claims Tribunal, Ernakulam Bench.
According to the petitioner, Mr. Saxena is not qualified to hold the post in view of a pending a CBI enquiry against him for allegedly collecting donations in the name of an unregistered trust, involving girl children without prior permission from the authorities.
Harassment charge
“Another complaint made by a woman employee of the Southern Railway against Mr. Saxena under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Harassment of Women Act dated April 12, 2007 is also pending in XVI Metropolitan Magistrate Court, George Town, Chennai,” the petitioner added.
Counsel for Mr. Saxena contended that a PIL would not lie in service matters and that the allegations, charges and filing of the writ petition were due to personal vendetta by office-bearers of the trade union, as he had taken several reformative and punitive steps against them.
But concurring with the submissions of the petitioner, the Bench granted an interim stay on the operation of all further proceedings.
