High Court issues notice to Tamil Nadu on plea challenging appointments

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court today issued notice to the state government on a plea challenging appointment of advocates and others as members of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission,allegedly due to their political affiliation to AIADMK.

The First Bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice MM Sundresh, before which the petition filed by Advocates Forum for Social Justice affiliated to PMK came up, directed government to file its counter by March 31.

Forum president K.Balu alleged that the appointments were made without following any procedure transparent in nature and in an arbitrary manner without laying down any guidelines and without following the mandatory law laid down by the Supreme Court.

The petitioner alleged that the members appointed belong to one particular community and prayed to declare the appointments vide government order dated January 31 as illegal and consequently set aside the appointments.

The petitioner also sought an interim stay on the operation of the government order issued by the Personal Administrative Reforms (M) Department during the pendency of the petition.

Advocate General A.L. Somayaji for the state and Niraimadi, Government Advocate, appearing for TNPSC, received the notices respectively.