Court strictures on APPSC

By Our Legal Correspondent

HYDERABAD, SEPT. 21. A Division Bench of the AP High Court, comprising the Chief Justice, Mr.Satyabrata Sinha, and Mr.Justice V.V.S.Rao, on Friday while expressing dissatisfaction at the functioning of the Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) directed that proceedings under the Contempt of Courts Act be initiated against its Secretary.

The Bench was dealing with a writ petition filed by Mrs. Lakshmi Sagar Reddy challenging the recruitment process for posts of school teachers pursuant to advertisement No 4/97.

The petitioner had earlier filed an Original Application (OA) in the AP Administrative Tribunal (APAT) alleging irregularities in the calculation of vacancies and illegal recruitment of Urdu medium teachers instead of Telugu medium teachers in violation of all the rules. After the APAT dismissed the OA the petitioner filed the present writ petition and the court had called for some records.

The Bench took exception to the non-production of the relevant files but submission of `assorted papers.' The Bench felt that such `contemptuous practice must be deprecated.' The Bench felt that all was not well with the functioning of the commission and declared that there was no transparency and it bred suspicion.

The Bench, speaking through the Chief Justice, directed the Chief Secretary to the State Government to inquire into the whole matter and then take action, including the criminal complaint against persons who violated the rules.

The Registrar, Judicial, the AP High Court, was directed to make a complaint before the appropriate competent criminal court under Section 193 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the officer who deposed before the court on behalf of the APPSC and did not give correct information. This is apart from the contempt case against the Secretary for not furnishing the records.

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Section  : Southern States
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