2003 Supreme(AP) 1117
Andhra Pradesh High Court
Judges : G.BIKSHAPATHY, GOPALA KRISHNA TAMADA
Kona Srinivas - Appellant
Versus
State OF A.P. - Respondent
Decided On : 09-11-03
Headnote:
Constitution of India – Article 309 – Health Assistants – Sought alternative prayer – Candidates challenging the notification issued by the official respondents published in various news papers prescribing basic qualifications S. S. C. with M. P. H. A. (M) training Course as illegal and arbitrary and contrary to issued under proviso to Article 309 constitution of India and for consequential direction to appoint the applicants to the post of M. P. H. A. (M) in Nalgonda District in accordance with the statutory rules – They also sought alternative prayer to declare the candidates, who obtained the M. P. H. A. one-year training certificate with S. S. C. qualification from the Institute of Public health, New Delhi after cut of were not eligible for being considered for the post –Held, Consequently, court direct the state Government to prepare the select list of candidates in accordance with Rules, who possessed S. S. C. and diploma certificate either from government institutions or the four private institutions referred to supra including College of Medical technology, Ongole, as the cancellation of recognition of the said college was effected which is the subject-matter in separate writ petitions if any selected candidate from this institution is holding certificate issued or thereafter it shall not be given effect to – Candidates so selected shall be issued with the appointment Orders within a period of four weeks from today duly terminating the services of the candidates, who were appointed on the basis of interim Orders and not figuring in the select list prepared under this Order – NO order as to costs.
( 1 ) THE multi pronged litigation is veering round the selections for appointment to the posts of multipurpose Health Assistants (Males ). It started with filing of O. A. No. 6856 of 2002 before the Tribunal by seven candidates challenging the notification issued by the official respondents dated 20. 7. 2002 published in various news papers prescribing basic qualifications S. S. C. with M. P. H. A. (M) training Course as illegal and arbitrary and contrary to G. O. Ms. No. 273, dated: 24. 4. 1989 issued under proviso to Article 309 constitution of India and for consequential direction to appoint the applicants to the post of M. P. H. A. (M) in Nalgonda District in accordance with the statutory rules. They also sought alternative prayer to declare the candidates, who obtained the M. P. H. A. one-year training certificate with S. S. C. qualification from the Institute of Public health, New Delhi after cut of date 2. 2. 2003 were not eligible for being considered for the post. However, the litigation swelled enormously due to various intervening factors leading to cancellation of notification itself. In respect of private institutions, the government sought to cancel their recognitions. All the aforesaid actions were challenged and they were decided by this court in this batch of writ petitions.
( 2 ) IT is necessary to refer to certain relevant facts for properly appreciating the crux of the issue.
( 3 ) APPLICANTS in the O. A. passed intermediate and thereafter they had undergone M. P. H. A. (M) training from government institution. It is there case that in G. O. Ms. No. 273, dated 24. 4. 1988, the government prescribed the qualifications for appointment to the post of M. P. H. A. (M) as intermediate plus diploma certificate and therefore, the notification ought to have prescribed the said qualifications in conformity with the provisions contained in g. O. Ms. No. 273 and therefore, the notification is liable to be set aside. The tribunal framed the following points for consideration: (i) Whether female candidates can be considered to the posts of m. P. H. A. (M)? (ii) Whether age relaxation can be given for receiving the applications of the applicants and permitting them to participate in the selection process? (iii) Whether the Intermediate Vocational courses passed by some of the applications could be treated as proper and equivalent qualification to the technical qualifications prescribed under the specific rules covering the posts? (iv) Whether the qualifications prescribed of passing S. S. C. instead of intermediate alone, in addition to the technical course, is sufficient, as mentioned in the notification with reference to statutory provisions and g. Os. covering recruitment rules? (v) Whether the candidates who did not secure certificates in proof of passing the technical courses due to one or the other reasons as follows could be considered for the selection process. (1)Not appeared for the written examination having completed the course (2) having appeared for the examination results not yet announced (3) with results announced but certificates not issued. (vi) Whether the applicants who have passed the courses from the institutions which are not recognised so far (or) derecognised by the government can be considered for the selection process? (vii) Whether the applicants who obtained diploma in Pharmacy with S. S. C. qualification can be considered for recruitment ignoring Intermediate qualification mentioned in notification?
( 4 ) AS far as the 1 st issue is concerned, the Tribunal held that the posts advertised for M. P. H. A. (Males) can be applied by male candidates only.
( 5 ) POINT No. 2, was held in negative.
( 6 ) POINT No. 3 was also held in negative. On point No. 4, the tribunal held that there is no illegality in prescribing the qualifications as S. S. C. instead of intermediate, in view of G. O. Ms. No. 111, dated 12. 4. 2002, but, directed that by the time of final recruitment, necessar