Expressing doubt on the validity of the selections made to the posts of Anganwadi workers in the additional centres set up in 185 taluks across the State during 2006, the High Court on Monday directed the State government to take steps to publicise the issue and implead all selected candidates as respondents into the petitions in this regard.

The direction came from Justice D V Shailendra Kumar who perused the guidelines set out by the Union government and in the Manual on Integrated Child Development Services of National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development for selection of Anganwadi helpers and workers.

Documents
The documents were summoned by the judge, hearing a batch of petitions by unsuccessful aspirants of Anganwadi workers’ posts in the newly established Anganwadi centres for about 40 taluks.

Disapprove
The Court observed that while the guidelines had clearly disapproved the involvement of MLAs as part of Selection Committees constituted for Anganwadi workers recruitment, selections carried out by the State government in about 185 taluks had been by Selection Committees headed by respective MLAs.

The Anganwadi centres in these taluks were set up under a Union government scheme in which the State government is expected to strictly act in accordance with the set guidelines, it observed.

Flaw
The Court opined that selections to the centres in 40 taluks, questioned in the petitions, were obviously flawed and similar selections in remaining taluks might also be not sustainable. While saying that further examination and hearing was due, it directed the State government to issue necessary paper publications to implead all selected candidates of all the 185 taluks into the case and to publicise the next hearing date.

Opportunity
The Court said the selected candidates need to be given an opportunity of hearing, in case the Court has to examine entire selections carried out by the Government in contravention of the norms. The Court set a deadline of October 30, 2007 to cause publicity, while fixing the next hearing on November 12, 2007.