THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Centre on Saturday submitted before the Ernakulam Central Administrative Tribunal that the plea of former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman G Madhavan Nair seeking to quash the government’s decision to bar him from holding any government jobs did not fall under the purview of the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985.
The petitioner had sought a directive to quash chapter 6 of the report of the High-Level Team constituted by the government to examine the facts and circumstances of the deal. However, the Centre submitted that Act provides for trial by Tribunals of Disputes and Complaints in connection with recruitment and conditions of service of persons holding public posts.
Nair retired on superannuation from government service on October 2009 and was posted as Vikram Sarabhai professor under the Visiting Professor Scheme of the DoS.
“He cannot claim that he should get the opportunity as available to a government servant of being heard before terminating him from any assignments entrusted after his retirement,” it said.
“Nair consciously suppressed the fact of his representation to the Prime Minister with an intent to mislead the tribunal,” the statement said. The govt decided to look into the irregularities after certain terms in the agreement was found not to be transparent.
ANTRIX had committed an investment of about Rs 800 crore on two satellites with other unusual concessions and with players who had very little financial stake. It was the first time that ISRO was going to use a 5.5 metre unfurlable antenna, and Space projects are often liable to delays for reasons beyond ANTRIX control.
The commitment for building a second satellite and the expenditure on it was without any financial authorisation from the Cabinet, the statement pointed out.
The entry of foreign telecom companies indicated that they had used the agreement as an opportunity for entering the Indian telecom market. There was lack of transparency in signing of the agreement. Although the agreement with Devas was already signed, it was not mentioned in the note submitted to the Space Commission, the Centre pointed out.