HC refuses to stay order on appointment of hostel cooks

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday refused to stay the single bench order which quashed the appointment of 4,017 cooks and assistants to various student hostels in the state run by the social welfare department.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice B M Shyam Sundar ordered notice to Rathnamma and 57 others on an appeal filed by the chief secretary, challenging the single bench order.

In the notification issued before the appointments, it was stated that applicants who had passed class X were eligible for the posts. But the appointment rules of the backward classes department state that applicants who have passed class VII are eligible for the post, which is contrary to the present appointment rules.

Additional advocate general A S Ponnanna submitted that the state would bring in amendments to the rules and sought quashing of the single bench order.

Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was unhappy with the submission and observed that the decision on the recruitments might be right, but it snatched the rights of applicants who had passed class VII. The bench adjourned the hearing to April 25.