THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The district court has served a notice on the director of the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) restraining her from participating in the promotion interviews and selection of staff. Earlier, the court had sent a notice to the chairman and director in a case related to violation of norms in appointing the director as the appellate authority of the ethics committee.
The notice was served taking into account the allegation the director herself was a candidate for the grade of senior professor while being chairman of the same staff selection committee. The court has asked the director to appear before it on May 23.
The petitioners G Muraleedharan and Varghese A alleged the existing SCTIMST Act with regard to the selection process has been violated and modified by the formation of a sub committee. While the director continues to remain the chairman for all other selection interviews, she abstains from the selection process when she is interviewed.
They said this was against the law and natural justice.
The selection process is scheduled to be held from May 26 to May 29. Being the chairman of the high-level selection committee, the director is not supposed to be a candidate for any post which may come before the committee, says the petition. It is also alleged the senior staff section committee had been replaced by a sub committee, which is illegal and unlawful.