Madurai
With the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court having already stayed the appointment of non-judicial members to the State Lokayuktha, a fresh public interest litigation petition filed on Friday challenged the appointment of Chairperson and retired Madras High Court Judge P. Devadoss and a judicial member former district court judge K. Jayabalan.
The petitioner, advocate R. Rajendran of Karur, who had earlier challenged the appointment of non-judicial members retired IAS officer M. Rajaram and advocate K. Arumugam, filed the fresh petition challenging the appointment of the Chairperson and the judicial member.
He complained that though retired judge P. Devadoss had met the eligibility criteria, there was a flaw in the appointment process. He said that retired Chief Justice of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and former Madras High Court Judge N. Paul Vasanthakumar should have been appointed over Mr. Devadoss as he was more qualified.
Also Mr. Jayabalan had an experience of 24 years and five months in the State judiciary. However, a person in order to be appointed as a judicial member should had an experience of 25 years, the petitioner said and sought a direction to stay the appointments.
A Division Bench of Justices P.N. Prakash and B. Pugalendhi ordered notice to the respondents and adjourned hearing to June. The petition was directed to be tagged along with the other connected petition that challenged the appointment of non-judicial members.
The Chairperson, retired Madras High Court Judge P. Devadoss, and two judicial members, former district court judges K. Jayabalan and R. Krishnamoorthy and two non-judicial members, retired IAS officer M. Rajaram and advocate K. Arumugam, were appointed to the State Lokayuktha , following the recommendation of the search committee comprising retired High Court Judge K. Venkataraman, former Advocate General R. Krishnamoorthy and retired IPS officer A. Pari.