KOCHI: A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Wednesday stayed the state government order appointing M Ramanunni as the managing director of the Kerala State Cooperative Consumer’s Federation Ltd (Consumerfed) and held “he shall not function as its MD until further orders”.
The Bench issued the interim order on a petition filed by O V Appachan, of Wayanad, seeking to quash the order of a Single Judge which held Ramanunni is qualified enough to be appointed as the managing director.
The petitioner submitted the appointment was in violation of the provisions contained in Clause VI of the Recruitment Rules governing the method of appointment for Consumerfed. It clearly stated only a government servant should be appointed as MD on deputation. Ramanunni is not a government servant and he cannot be considered as holding any post equivalent to that of a government servant. He was only a general manager of the Thrissur District Cooperative Bank and therefore, he cannot aspire to be appointed as the MD of Consumerfed, the petitioner submitted.