HC issues notice to Centre on Madhavan Nair's petition

KOCHI: Kerala High Court today issued notice to the Centre on a petition by former ISRO Chairman Dr G Madhavan Nair challenging the verdict of Central Administrative Tribunal which had turned down his petition as 'non maintainable'.

A division bench comprising justice Thothathil B Radhakrishnan and justice B Kemal Pasha issued notice to the Centre after admitting the petition.

The CAT had last month dismissed the plea of Nair, seeking quashing of the Centre's decision to debar him from holding government posts for his alleged role in the controversial Antrix-Devas deal, on the ground of maintainability.

Rejecting Nair's application, a division bench of the Tribunal had held that the dispute raised will not come under the provisions of the Administrative Tribunal Act.

Nair had moved CAT last year seeking to quash a January 13, 2012, order of Director of Department of Space, Bangalore, excluding him from right for re-employment, committee roles or any other important role under the government and government bodies and also to divest him of any current assignment/ consultancy with government and organisations with immediate effect.

He was also aggrieved by another government order issued on the say day by the Under Secretary, Department of Space, terminating Nair's appointment as Dr Vikram Sarabhai Distinguished Professor in the Department of Space/ Space Research Organisation.