The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed the Kerala State Beverages Corporation to fill 135 posts of Assistant Grade II by accommodating women candidates from the rank list, if necessary by shifting the male employees, who are working in the offices and warehouses.
Justice P Ravindran issued the directive on a petition filed by T Neelima of Kollam and others seeking a directive to fill the 523 vacancies of Assistant Grade II in the corporation.
The court also directed the Public Service Commission to advise women candidates against the 135 vacancies reported to it by the corporation in two months. The court made it clear that for this, male candidates in the list and those who had already been appointed in its warehouses and offices have to be shifted to the FL-I shops, run by the corporation. The MD of the corporation should issue appointment orders within a month from the date of advice given to the PSC.
According to the petitioner, the PSC published notification inviting application for the post in 2008 and stated that women candidates will not be considered. In fact, there was no restriction on women candidates.
The notifications said that 250 out of the 295 vacancies were in the FL-I shops and that stipulated that women candidates would not be considered for appointment against these vacancies. The petitioners contended that the stipulation was discriminatory and illegal.
The rank list was published on September 26, 2011. All the male candidates had been advised, petition pointed out.