Telangana Samskruthika Samithi official summoned in artistes’ appointment case

HYDERABAD: Displeased with the negligence shown by the authorities concerned in filing a counter affidavit despite grant of time several times, a division bench of the High Court has directed the member-secretary of Telangana Samskruthika Samithi to appear before it to give explanation for his failure to file counter affidavit to a PIL which challenged the appointment of 550 persons as artistes on nomination basis in government service.

The bench of acting chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice K Vijaya Lakshmi was dealing with a PIL filed by Jukanti Ramesh and two others seeking suspension of the appointment orders given in respect of the 550 persons.

The petitioners pointed out that the Samithi had taken 550 persons into government service on nomination basis and the government approved the appointments on February 2, 2015. Each person is being paid a monthly salary of Rs 24,514. There was no provision or scope in the law for having en masse appointments into government service by nomination but they were appointed on nomination basis without issuing recruitment notification for receiving applications from the eligible candidates for the posts of artists, they noted.

On an earlier occasion, the bench had issued notices to the principal secretary to youth, tourism and culture department, director of culture, member-secretary to Telangana Samskruthika Samithi for filing counter affidavits, explaining the reasons of appointing the artistes on nomination basis. No counter affidavits have been filed till date despite grant of time by the court on several occasions.

Taking a serious view of the negligence shown in filing the counter, the bench summoned the member-secretary of TSS for explanation, and posted the matter to after summer vacation for hearing.