HC quashes LIC recruitment

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, AUG. 25. The Madras High Court has quashed the appointment of 1,950 persons, recruited to Class III posts by the LIC of India in 1993, over and above the notified vacancies, on the ground that the mandate of 27 per cent reservation for backward classes had not been followed.

``I am convinced that the LIC has not followed the 27 per cent reservation for BCs and the recruitment was beyond the notified number of vacancies made is against law. The excess recruitment is illegal and liable to be set aside. Consequently, for the said vacancies, the LIC is directed to make fresh recruitment, making 27 per cent reservation for BCs, as per the Union Government directive, apart from allowing all the 1,950 candidates to participate in the recruitment. The LIC should complete the recruitment in six months'', Mr. Justice Y. Venkatachalam said. He was partially allowing a petition filed by a temporary staffer of LIC, who challenged the 1993 recruitment on various grounds.

The petitioner, Ms. Geetha, had, along with others in 1992, challenged the recruitment of more temporary staff. A Division Bench, which dismissed the petitions, gave liberty to the petitioners to move the Central Government Industrial Tribunal, where the case is still pending.

While so, the LIC notified the recruitment for 1,920 class III posts. All the temporary staff had appeared for the examination. Finally 3,870 persons were recruited as per a decision to recruit twice the number of notified vacancies. Ms. Geetha, who was aggrieved at not being selected, challenged the selection process. Also the quota for BCs had not been reserved, though a Union Government order of August 1990 imposed the condition.

The Judge stated that significantly, the total number of advertised posts was only 1,920. But the LIC of India recruited 1,950 persons more. In all these cases, reservation for BCs were not followed. There was no rational explanation for making 100 per cent extra recruitment, when already the claim of 2,200 persons was pending before the Central tribunal, he added.

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