The Madras High Court on Tuesday granted stay for two weeks of a Tamil Nadu government order of January this year giving appointment to the post of Supervisor, Grade II, to only women noon meal organisers. Justice K. Suguna passed the order on a petition by A. Ravi of Uthangarai in Krishnagiri district and nine others who challenged the order dated January 12.
The petitioners said that by the G.O. qualified and seniormost male noon meal organisers were excluded.
In the petition, filed through counsel R. Singgaravelan, the petitioners said they were appointed noon meal organisers by direct recruitment on merit. They were all working in government and panchayat union high schools, middle schools and elementary schools for more than 15 years. But, there was no promotional avenue for organisers.
The G.O., instead of giving promotional chances to organisers on the basis of their qualification and seniority, had mandated that only women organisers would be promoted as Supervisor Grade II. The men organisers would be appointed in the Social Welfare Department as Record Clerks and Office-Assistants.
The men organisers were being discriminated without any reason. There could not be any discrimination in promotion to similarly placed candidates.
