MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has stayed a recent order passed by a single judge quashing a tender notification issued by the Executive officer-cum-Fit person of Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy temple for hiring housekeeping staff.
Hearing an appeal filed by the executive officer, a division bench comprising Justices K Kalyanasundaram and T Krishnavalli stayed the single judge's order and permitted the authorities to proceed with the tender process. The case was adjourned for further hearing.
The single judge, on Tuesday, quashed the notification issued on August 20, 2020 on grounds that such decisions, which have financial implications, could only be taken by a Board of Trustees and not a Fit person. He passed the order following a petition filed by one TR Ramesh, a devotee.
However, the executive officer moved the Madurai Bench on Friday, challenging the above order. The official submitted in the appeal that the petitioner was not a 'person-aggrieved' and was not connected to the contract in anyway. He also said that the petitioner does have the locus standi to question the tender notice. To prove his point, the executive officer cited the dismissal of a similar plea filed by a contractors' association on the same ground.
He also referred to the single judge's comparison of housekeeping service to 'Uzhavara pani' and pointed out that housekeeping work in Palani temple consists of several tasks including cleaning the winch and ropecar stations, prasadam units, toilets in the temple, bus terminals and 300 rooms in Dhandapani Nilayam, sweeping Giriveethi road and surrounding areas among others.
Further adding that the Fit person, in the absence of a trustee board, has all powers to take such decisions, he prayed the court to set aside the single judge's order.