CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday appointed former judge N Authinathan as one-man committee to probe into the alleged irregularities that took place while recruiting 814 computer instructors through Teachers Recruitment Board (TRB) in 2019. The issue pertains to a batch of petitions moved by unsuccessful candidates alleging largescale irregularities at certain examinations centres. The petitioners claimed that several candidates who were selected were allowed to use electronic gadgets inside the examination halls.
The petitioners alleged that irregularities took place at three exam centres — KSR College of Engineering, Namakkal, Annai College of Engineering, Thanjavur, and Kongunadu College of Engineering, Tiruchy.
Justice V Parthibhan, in his order, allowed the State to proceed with the appointments from all the other centres in the State, but barred the candidates selected from the three colleges.
The judge observed, “leaving aside the three centres, the authorities are at liberty to go ahead with the appointments of the selected candidates from other centres and in that process, they should ensure that none of the candidates from the disputed three centres should be favoured with the appointments.”
The mandate of the one-man committee is to inquire into the allegation and file a report to the court.
“....corrective measures are required to be initiated and completed by an impartial inquiry mechanism to allay the residuary apprehensions of some of the unsuccessful and aggrieved candidates. In that view of the matter, this court appoints a retired judge of this court, Justice N Authinathan (Retd.), to be a one-man committee to conduct a thorough inquiry into the allegations...,” said Justice Parthibhan.
Advocate-General Vijay Narayan brought to the notice of the court of the interim orders passed by the Madurai Bench against selection and appointment. Justice Parthiban modified the orders and permitted the State to go ahead with the appointments. The court also dismissed all the pleas that sought for conduct of the entire recruitment afresh.
‘Justice depends on access to courts’
Chennai: Madras High Court Chief Justice AP Sahi on Thursday said justice for litigants depends on easy access and expanded availability of courts. He was speaking after inaugurating 14 courts in the city. Sahi also said the new courts will give hope to litigants by living up to the expectations of the public. The four additional courts in the cadre of district judge and 10 additional assistant courts in the cadre of senior civil judge have been opened at the Allikulam Commercial Complex. He stressed that new courts will help young lawyers gain experience.