HC stays process of recruitment to Gurukuls
HYDERABAD: In a setback to TS government, the High Court on Wednesday stayed the process of filling teaching and non-teaching posts with ‘women candidates’ by state social welfare, backward classes welfare, tribal welfare and minority welfare residential educational institutions’ societies, based on the impugned GO issued by the general administration (service-B) department on June 4, 2016. The court issued notices to all respondent authorities to respond on issues raised by the petitioners.
Justice M S Ramachandra Rao passed the interim order on a writ petition filed by K Satyanarayana and another challenging the GO issued earlier giving guidelines on recruitment of staff to the above institutions and asking departments concerned to take steps to carry out suitable amendments to relevant by-laws, special rules and service regulations relating to residential educational societies.
Senior counsel S Satyam Reddy, appearing for the petitioners, pointed out that the authorities, vide GO Rt No.1274 dated June 4, 2016, had issued guidelines to departments concerned asking them to make amendments for filling the posts in the said educational societies with women candidates. However, without having any amendments, the Telangana State Public Service Commission had been issuing statements for filling the above posts with women candidates. As per Rule 22-A and sub-rules 2 and 3 of TS Subordinate Service Rules, priority has to be given to women to posts for but men should not be fully barred from such posts, he noted.
He said the authorities’ action had resulted in gender discrimination and violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. About 500 schools and colleges are functioning under the said societies which make recruitments to various posts, he noted and urged court to grant stay of all further proceedings. Taking these submissions into consideration, the judge stayed the recruitment process which was based on the impugned GO. While adjourning the case, the judge issued notices to the principal secretaries of higher education and school education, secretary to TSPSC and secretaries of the societies.