CHENNAI: Once a person is found eligible on the basis of his qualification and experience, whether he is working in an autonomous institution or a public sector undertaking (PSU) cannot be the criteria in searching for a candidate for a high public office.
It is to find out a talented or meritorious one, the Madras High Court has ruled. Justice T Raja gave the ruling while allowing the writ petitions from Cyril C George, deputy chairman of Madras Port Trust, challenging the non-inclusion in the list of candidates for selection to the post of chairman, Kamarajar Port on July 14.
Rejecting the candidature of Cyril, who had worked as chairman-in-charge and continuously working now as the deputy chairman in Chennai Port Trust, was wholly untenable, unreasonable and would not pass the test of Article 14 of the Constitution, the judge said.
The judge also made it clear that Cyril was entitled to apply for the post of managing director of Kamarajar Port Limited and directed the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) to permit him to take part in the interview. The Board rejected Cyril’s candidature on the ground that he was not eligible to contest for the post as he was working in an autonomous institution.