The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has imposed a cost of ₹ 10,000 on a Block Educational Officer for acting without application of mind. The officer had turned down the proposal to approve the appointment of a teacher to an elementary school.
It was hearing the petition filed by A. Packia Rexlin, who challenged the officer’s order rejecting the proposal to approve the appointment of the petitioner to R.C. Elementary School in Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district, a recognised minority school. The school had sent the proposal to the officer.
The officer turned down the proposal on the ground that the relieving order of the previous teacher, who had attained superannuation, was not annexed and a certificate from Fire Service and Health Department was not produced. Besides, the officer said the school should have obtained a certificate stating that there were no excess staff in the school and annexed recognition order of the school. Taking cognisance of the fact that the school was recognised from 1940, Justice R. Suresh Kumar pulled up the officer for passing a mechanical order with unsustainable reasons.
The court observed that the records of the previous teacher, who had retired from service in 2018 and was receiving pension, was available in the office of the Block Educational Officer. The other reasons cited by the officer were ridiculous, it added.
The judge said the officer was only a forwarding authority and the proposal should have been forwarded to the District Educational Officer for approval. The court remitted the matter back to the District Educational Officer to pass necessary orders.
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