KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held that an appointing authority has the power to decide not to fill up a particular number of vacancies on genuine and reasonable grounds, even if a valid PSC ranklist is in force. The court held that the government has shown genuine and sufficient reasons for not appointing more than 105 candidates from the ranklist to the post of Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) junior time scale (trainee).
The court issued the order on appeals filed by the state government and others challenging the order of the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, which held that candidates included in the ranklist have every right to be considered for appointment. The tribunal order came on a batch of petitions filed by candidates included in the KAS junior time scale trainee ranklist who challenged the order fixing the cadre strength at 105.
Quashing the order of the tribunal, the HC said that it is well-settled law that an appointing authority may, for good and sufficient reason, take a decision not to fill up existing vacancies even if a valid ranklist is in force.