Madras HC put stay on Tasmac written exam

Justice K. Ravic­h­an­dr­ab­a­abu granted the interim stay and ordered notice, ret­u­rnable by two weeks, to Tasmac on a batch of petitions from R. Mayak­ri­s­h­nan, a supervisor of a Tasmac shop, and others, challenging the selection process adopted by Tasmac.

The judge said, “If the examination is conducted on November 16 as scheduled, it will certainly prejudice the interests of the petitioners and similar persons. Therefore, there will be an order of interim stay of conducting the written examination to be held on November 16 or any other subsequent date for the post of junior assistant by Tasmac for a period of two weeks.”

The judge also directed the petitioners to implead all persons to whom communication was sent by Tasmac to write the examination.

This was a matter relating to the appointment of 18 junior assistants in Tasmac through candidates sponsored by the employment exchange. The petitioners contended that they were appointed in Tasmac shops in various places on contract basis on different dates and were eligible to be appointed to the posts.

The method of recruitment only through the employment exchange was against the decision of the Supreme Court, wherein it was stated that in addition to getting the list from the employment exch­ange, the government sho­uld call for candidates by publication in newspapers and also display on their office notice boards and then consider the cases of all candidates who have applied.

However, except by sending communications to individual persons for the written examination, Tas­mac had made no paper pub­li­cation nor any other mode inviting applications, they added.

The judge said the service rules of Tasmac clearly say that the method of appointment to the post of junior assistant/typist is by direct recruitment and by promotion.

The counsel appearing for Tasmac was not in a position to state whether any such publication had been made or any other mode of recruitment was resorted to, apart from calling for the list of candidates from the employment exchange.

“I am satisfied that the method adopted by Tasmac in filling up junior assistant posts needs to be scrutinised by this court in detail after considering the rival pleadings as well as submissions,” the judge added.