CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has issued notice to the Principal Secretary department of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare on a writ petition seeking quashing of the appointment of a Member (Woman) of the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.
The single judge bench of Justice Arindam Sinha issued the notice on Monday seeking reply to the petition for intervention against the appointment of Sudhira Laxmi Pattnaik as Member (on March 3, 2022).Reena Nayak, a 52-year-old High Court lawyer who applied for the post had filed the petition. She was not selected after qualifying the written examination and appearing for the interview.
The petition alleged that Sudhira was wrongfully appointed in violation of rule 10 in Consumer Protection (Qualification for appointment, method of recruitment, procedure of appointment, term of office, resignation and removal of the President and members of the State commission and District Commission) Rules, 2020. She had already served two terms and, therefore, was ineligible, the petitioner contends, seeking direction for being appointed as the Member (Woman).
Justice Sinha sought reply to the notice and adjourned the matter to August 16, “for hearing and disposal of the writ petition”.The Rule specified that a Member of either the District or State Commission who has served two terms shall not be eligible for appointment as Member for any of the Commission for third term. The age limit was fixed at 65 years.
According to the petition, Sudhira had already served two terms as Member in District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (Kandhamal) from December 15, 2010 to December 14, 2015 and from April 16, 2916 to April 15, 2021.
While seeking the court’s direction for her appointment as Member (Woman), the petitioner contends that illegalities were committed by allowing Sudhira to take the written test and appear for interview even when she was not eligible to apply for the post.