JUDGMENT

The petitioner is working as a Watcher in Kulasekharam Devaswom under the Travancore Devaswom Board (for short 'the TDB'). He entered in service on 25.02.2004 and is continuing as such. According to the petitioner, there is a post of Assistant Public Relations Officer in the TDB which is to be filled by way of transfer from the category of low paid employees in terms of Rule 4 of Travancore Devaswom Board Low Paid Employee’s Appointment As Clerk/Sub Group Officer Rules, 1990 (for short ‘the Rules 1990’). The qualification prescribed for the said post is Graduation and Diploma in Journalism. According to the petitioner, being a low paid employee in the TDB, he is entitled for promotion to the post of Assistant Public Relations Officer since he possessed the required qualification. The post of Assistant Public Relations Officer in TDB became vacant in the year 2007 and the petitioner became qualified for appointment to the said post in the year 2010. The petitioner, therefore, approached the TDB with a request to promote him as Assistant Public Relations Officer.

2. By Ext.P5, the TDB rejected the request of the petitioner on the ground that the post of Assistant Public Relat