Supreme Court Cautions Authories Against Arbitrary Cancellation Of Public Tenders; Says It Can Impact Private-Public Partnerships

Supreme Court Cautions Authories Against Arbitrary Cancellation Of Public Tenders; Says It Can Impact Private-Public Partnerships

Yash Mittal

11 July 2024 12:46 AM

In a notable judgment, the Supreme Court cautioned the public authorities against cancelling public tenders arbitrarily and stressed the importance of upholding the sanctity of contracts.

The Court explained that public tenders emanate from the Doctrine of Public Trust and are designed to provide a level playing field for all potential bidders

"The sanctity of contracts is a fundamental principle that underpins the stability and predictability of legal and commercial relationships. When public authorities enter into contracts, they create legitimate expectations that the State will honour its obligations. Arbitrary or unreasonable terminations undermine these expectations and erode the trust of private players from the public procurement processes and tenders," the Court observed.

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"When private parties perceive that their contractual rights can be easily trampled by the State, they would be dissuaded from participating in public procurement processes which may have a negative impact on such other public-private partnership ventures and ultimately it is the public who would have to bear the brunt thereby frustrating the very object of public interest."

Observing that the decision of the State to cancel the public tender must be based on bona fide consideration being reflected in its decision-making process, and not on extraneous grounds, the Supreme Court said that the failure of the Public Authority to record valid reasons for the cancellation of the Tender awarded for the public purpose warrants judicial review.

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"Cancellation of a contract deprives a person of his very valuable rights and is a very drastic step, often due to significant investments having already been made by the parties involved during the subsistence of the contract. Failure on the part of the courts to zealously protect the binding nature of a lawful and valid tender, would erode public faith in contracts and tenders. Arbitrary terminations of contract create uncertainty and unpredictability, thereby discouraging public participation in the tendering process. When private parties perceive that their contractual rights can be easily trampled by the State, they would be dissuaded from participating in public procurement processes which may have a negative impact on such other public-private partnership ventures and ultimately it is the public who would have to bear the brunt thereby frustrating the very object of public interest."

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Court cautions authorities to be careful in cancelling public tenders

"We caution the public authorities to be circumspect in disturbing or wriggling out of its contractual obligations through means beyond the terms of the contract in exercise of their executive powers. We do not say for a moment that the State has no power to alter or cancel a contract that it has entered into. However, if the State deems it necessary to alter or cancel a contract on the ground of public interest or change in policy then such considerations must be bona-fide and should be earnestly reflected in the decision-making process and also in the final decision itself. We say so because otherwise, it would have a very chilling effect as participating and winning a tender would tend to be viewed as a situation worse than losing one at the threshold."

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Noting that there is a shift in the position of law concerning the power of the Courts to exercise judicial review of the State's contract-making decision, wherein earlier the Courts were reluctant to interfere with the contract-making decisions of the State, the bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra observed that the State cannot claim immunity from the Court's power to review its contracting decisions (having public interest) if it has an element of arbitrariness or mala fide.

“Therefore, what can be culled out from the above is that although disputes arising purely out of contracts are not amenable to writ jurisdiction yet keeping in mind the obligation of the State to act fairly and not arbitrarily or capriciously, it is now well settled that when contractual power is being used for public purpose, it is certainly amenable to judicial review.”, the Judgment authored by Justice JB Pardiwala said.

The gist of the dispute was that the Appellant was granted a Tender to undertake the maintenance and operations works of two Underpasses in the City of Kolkata. The Respondent-State had issued notice canceling the tender awarded to the Appellant without providing any reasons in terms of the contract. The tender was canceled on an extraneous ground that the Higher Officials wanted to cancel the tender.

Aggrieved by the decision of the State, the Appellant preferred a Writ Petition before the Calcutta High Court which was subsequently dismissed. Following this, the Appellant approached the Supreme Court.

According to the Court, the judicial review of an executive action can be taken if the decision is not based on valid considerations. The Court said that the question needs to be answered as to whether the decision was based on valid considerations to ensure that the reasons assigned were the true motivations behind the action.

After perusing the notice of cancellation of the tender awarded to the Appellant, the Court found that there were no reasons assigned for canceling the order, rather the orders to stop the work had been issued for an altogether different reason – i.e., handing over of the operation & maintenance of the concerned underpasses to another authority.

Internal File Noting's Having Role In Decision-Making Process Be Considered For Judicial Review

Taking a clue from the internal file notings of the respondents, the Court said that the same could be taken into consideration while exercising the power of a judicial review, if such internal file noting played a significant role in a decision-making process to cancel the tender.

“any internal discussions or notings that have been approved and formalized into a decision by an authority can be examined to ascertain the reasons and purposes behind such decisions for the overall judicial review of such decision-making process and whether it conforms to the principles enshrined in Article 14 of the Constitution.”, the court said.

Unsupported Claims Of Loss To Public Exchequer Not Valid Ground To Cancel Tender

Further, the Court rejected the respondent's contention that the decision to cancel the tender was taken in the public interest to avoid loss to the public exchequer. The Court said that by no stretch it could be said to be a cogent reason for cancelling an already existing tender.

“A blanket claim by the State claiming loss of public money cannot be used to forgo contractual obligations, especially when it is not based on any evidence or examination as the larger interest of upholding contracts is also in the play.”, the Court said.

Conclusion

The Court later found the present case as a classic textbook case of an arbitrary exercise of powers by the respondent in canceling the tender that was issued in favor of the appellant and that too at the behest of none other than the concerned Minister-In-Charge.

The Court came to the findings that the Respondent's notice of cancelation of the tender is an arbitrary exercise of the power, wherein the decision to cancel the already existing tender was passed without recording reasons as per the terms of the contract but on extraneous grounds. Therefore, in the exercise of the power of judicial review, the Court quashed the notice of cancelation of the tender and set aside the decision of the High Court.

Counsels For Petitioner(s) Mr. Shyam Divan, Sr. Adv. Mr. Ateev Mathur, Adv. Mr. Ajay Monga, Adv. Mr. Sanjay Gupta, Adv. Ms. Varsha Kriplani, Adv. Mr. Anmol Sharma, Adv. Mr. Ananta Prasad Mishra, AOR

Counsels For Respondent(s) Mr. Rakesh Dwivedi, Sr. Adv. Mr. Zoheb Hossain, AOR

Case Details: SUBODH KUMAR SINGH RATHOUR VERSUS THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & ORS., CIVIL APPEAL NO. 6741 OF 2024

Citation : 2024 LiveLaw (SC) 455

Employee With Requisite Educational Qualification Eligible For Promotion Regardless Of Criteria Being Fulfilled Prior To Or During Service: Allahabad HC

Employee With Requisite Educational Qualification Eligible For Promotion Regardless Of Criteria Being Fulfilled Prior To Or During Service: Allahabad HC

Upasna Agrawal

28 Sept 2024 7:30 PM

The Allahabad High Court has held that a candidate that has the required educational qualification deserves to be promoted upon satisfying all other criteria. It was held that it is immaterial whether such criteria were fulfilled prior to the service or during it.

“….. a candidate if is already having qualification to his credit prior to entering into the service and, he is equally entitled to be considered for promotion on the post of Junior Engineer within 5% quota provided within the rules,” held Justice Ajit Kumar.

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The Court held that rules of promotions are to be construed liberally to avoid stagnation in employees as well as to boost morale. Accordingly, it was held that similarly placed employees should be given similar opportunities of promotion.

Case Background

Petitioner working as Storekeeper Grade-1 under the respondent corporation. By an order dated 27.04.2017, his claim for promotion to the post of Junior Engineer was rejected stating that the 5% quota that was available for the post of Junior Engineer could only be availed by employees that fell in the category of Draftsmen/ Dresser/ Clerks/ Laboratory Assistants; who had the required diploma in engineering and had completed five years of regular service. Petitioner's request for promotion was reject on the grounds that he had acquired his diploma prior to entering the service and that did not fall in the category of employees eligible for promotion.

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Challenging the rejection order, petitioner contended that the case of whether a candidate should have acquired the requisite qualification during the service period or before, was not entirely new as it had already been considered by the Allahabad High Court in Madhavendra Singh v. State of U.P. and Ors.

Further, he argued that the post of Storekeeper fell within the category of Group – C employees and so did the posts of Draftsemen/ Dresser/ Clerks/ Laboratory Assistants, which were eligible for promotion. Thus, the post of storekeeper was also to be considered for promotion as belonging to the same category.

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High Court Verdict

On an earlier date, the Court had directed the Respondent Corporation to give details on the pay scale of the employees in question so as to establish whether the petitioner fell within the category of employees eligible for promotion. Upon perusal of the affidavit filed by the Corporation, it was held that the post of the Storekeeper was taken to be within the category of Group – C employees.

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“In view of this above admitted position, it can safely (sic) concluded that post of Storekeeper falls in group 'C' category and so the posts of Storekeeper like that of Lab Assistant, Draftsmen, can be considered for promotion as Junior Engineer within 5% of quota as provided for under the relevant service rules,” held the Court.

Examining the circumstances of the appointment of the petitioner, the Court held that the only thing in its consideration was to adjudicate whether the petitioner would be entitled to be promoted in the event he had acquired qualification before entering into service. Justice Kumar held that this controversy had already been decided in the case of Madhavendra Singh.

In Madhavendra Singh, a Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court had held that the requirement that a candidate should have fulfilled the required educational criteria as prescribed by the rules was intended to ensure that a candidate who was employed with the state obtained the aforementioned criteria only after seeking the permission of the state. However, the Court had held that this was not to mean that an individual who had already acquired the criteria would be barred from being granted a promotion.

“Obviously, the object and purpose is not to exclude from consideration in service candidates who have already obtained educational qualifications prescribed prior to their date of entry in service,” held the Division Bench.

The Court held that the legal principle that was to be taken into account was that one must have the requisite academic qualification of the concerned trade in order to make them eligible for the post on which the promotion had to be made. Further, it was held that the experience would only be taken into account qua the service done by an employee in a feeding cadre.

Justice Kumar held that the argument advanced by the respondent that the petitioner was not qualified for promotion because the post of Storekeeper was not mentioned in the rules, did not hold any weight. It was held that employees falling in similar or same cadres would be given the same opportunity to advance their career in service.

Accordingly, the Court held that the petitioner possessed the requisite criteria and had served for the required period under the rules. Thus, he was eligible for promotion to the post of Junior Engineer (Mechanical). The Court directed the respondents to pass an appropriate order regarding promotion of the petitioner.

Case Title: Raj Kumar v. State of U.P. And 3 Ors. [WRIT - A No. - 17005 of 2018]

NEWS TODAY 04.10.2024

 

Health minister walks 14 km inspecting hospitals

Health minister walks 14 km inspecting hospitals 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 05.10.2024

 Coimbatore : Health minister Ma Subramanian ordered action against two doctors who were found absent without authorisation while he conducted a surprise inspection in a govt hospital in Sulur on the outskirts of Coimbatore on Friday. The minister, who walked nearly 14 km through Neelambur, Mudalipalayam, Muthukavundanpudur, Arasur, Thennampalayam, Somanur and Kurumbapalayam villages, arrived at the hospital around 7am. He checked staff attend ance and spoke to patients about the quality of treatment they were receiving. He inquired with a senior doctor about the total number of doctors in the hospital. The senior doctor informed him that of the six doctors employed, only four were currently working, while two had been absent without authorisation for the past 10 months.

The minister called up joint director of health services N N Rajasekaran and questioned him about the lack of action against the absentees and asked about the personnel who were covering their duties in the meantime. The joint director explained that a memo had been issued, charges had been framed against the doctors and their positions had been declared vacant. He assured the minister that an inquiry would be conducted, and ac tion would be taken.The minister instructed the joint director to keep him informed of the actions taken against the absentee doctors. 

Later, he inaugurated an additional building for an urban primary health care centre in Singanallur, which was constructed at an estimated cost of ₹1.50 crore, and a public health unit building at the upgraded government primary health centre in Dhaliyur, built at a cost of ₹58.10 lakh. The minister also inaugurated the newly expanded 24-hour emergency department at G Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial Hospital (GKNM).

TN, five states pause PG medical admission Delay In Releasing Scores

TN, five states pause PG medical admission Delay In Releasing Scores

Pushpa.Narayan@timesofindia.com  05.10.2024

Chennai : At least six states including Tamil Nadu have put post-graduate medical admissions on hold. This is because the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences, which conducted NEET PG on Aug 11 and declared results on Aug 23, is yet to release individual scores of students. The NEET PG 2024 was held on Aug 11 in two batches. The NBE, an autonomous body under the Union ministry of health and family welfare, normalised scores of candidates and declared percentile and ranks of students. “We have written to NBE seeking students' scores. Without scores, it will be difficult for us to conduct counselling, particularly for in-service candidates,” said director of medical education Dr J Sangumani. 

The state offers up to 30 marks as incentive to in-service candidates working in hilly regions and difficult terrains. Officials tried reverse calculations using percentile scores to calculate marks; however, they found it was not reliable. “We need students’ scores; else we cannot add incentive marks. We need the normalised scores,” he said. 

Some candidates have approached Supreme Court, seeking transparency in NEET-PG results. “We are expecting to start counselling based on the verdict,” officials in the directorate said. At Centre, the medical counselling committee under DGHS started the NEET PG counselling registration process for round 1 but is yet to release the information bulletin that details the process, including the schedule. However, officials from NBE said they have discussed the issue in detail with National Medical Commission.

 “The normalisation process has been conducted. It is a very complicated process, based on which percentile and scores were arrived at. We will not be able to declare scores. Percentile and ranks are enough for admissions. Ranks show the order of merit,” the official from New Delhi said. NMC officials said they have already announced the new guidelines for admissions. The post graduate medical education regulations-2023 do not permit states to offer incentives for inservice candidates. “Instead, they must create a quota within the in-service quota to incentivise candidates from rural, hilly, or difficult terrains,” a senior official said.

 “Doing this will ensure merit in NEET is not compromised,” he said. While it is yet to be ascertained whether it would benefit or affect candidates in rural areas, government doctors’ associations say NMC must not dictate terms on how admission should be conducted for state quota seats. “These matters were settled in court. It is unfair to bring it up again and change rules now. Many candidates have been working in hilly and difficult terrains expecting incentives. Seats in some specialities are so small that you can’t give quotas,” he said.

Visa delays cast a shadow on Diwali travel plans

Visa delays cast a shadow on Diwali travel plans 

CANADA VISA NOW HAS WAITING OF FOUR MONTHS; US, EUROPE HOPEFULS TOO FACE DELAYS 

Bharat Yagnik, Niyati Parikh & Nimesh Khakhariya TNN 

Rajkot/Ahmedabad : Four months. That’s the current processing time for a Canadian visa. Usually, tourists holding a US visa would get a Canadian visa within a fortnight, but that’s no longer the case, travel agents say, adding that tourists’ dreams of exploring foreign lands during Diwali are being overshadowed by anxiety and the prospect of having to cancel plans.

 “After completion of the biometric process, the embassy would, within seven to eight days, ask for passport for visa stamping. Now, there is no communication for four five months,” said Dilip Masaani, a travel agent in Rajkot. He added, “Many travellers going on a US tour also wish to visit Canada. Getting a Canadian visa was earlier easier if the applicant had a US visa. Now, the word from the embassy on visa stamping arrives quite late, many a times after the applicant has left for the US.”

Ronak Shah, Gujarat chapter chairman of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) said, “Canada recently stated that they have 2 million pending visa applications. The process is very slow. Those who had applied in the first week of June are getting visas now.” The delays are affecting other preferred international visas as well. Hiral Rathod (name changed), a senior citizen who applied for a Schengen visa to visit her friend in Europe, faced rejection. “I had applied for the visa and my friend, who was to host me at her residence, had sent all the necessary documentation. However, my visa application was rejected,” she said. This not only led to disappointment but also significant financial losses for Rathod.

Lalit Advani, a visa consultant, said, “Diwali is a time when people love to travel, and bookings are not always made in advance. Despite providing all necessary documents, including return tickets, hotel reservations and travel insurance, many applicants are facing rejection. “One of my clients had applied for a travel visa to Switzerland. Even 15 days after his visa interview, the embassy did not clarify if the application had been approved or rejected. Tired, the applicant wrote to the embassy to retrieve his passport. He will now apply for a visa to another  destination for his Diwali break.” The situation is also dire for those planning to travel to Europe during Diwali. 

According to travel company owners, family appointments for Schengen visa interviews are not available. Every member is required to apply individually, further complicating the process and increasing the likelihood of delays and rejections. The wait for US visas is nearly a year-long. “The backlog of applications, particularly for the US, leads to fresh appointments, which has resulted in wait times stretching for a year. This has significantly impacted students, professionals and tourists alike, who are unable to plan their future travels with certainty,” said Ankit Bajaj, a travel company owner from Ahmedabad. Visa consultant Parthesh Thakkar said, “One of my clients – an IIM Kolkata student – was scheduled to travel to Italy for academic purposes. However, he was refused a visa. Lastminute rush, lack of adequate staff at visa facilitation centres as well as embassy offices, is a key reason for rejections as well as delay in appointment availability.” 

He also attributed the higher rejection rates to incomplete documentation, particularly by first-time applicants

‘High cholesterol, BP signal deeper issues’

‘High cholesterol, BP signal deeper issues’ 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  04.10.2024 

Ahmedabad : Lalit Kapoor, founder and director of the US-based PBW Foundation, conducted a session on holistic health and well-being at the Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) on Thursday. Kapoor, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), is now spearheading a movement to promote plantbased nutrition and holistic well-being. “We are consuming what we should not, while harmful toxins that need to be expelled from the body are staying within, leading to health concerns like high cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. The real issue is not sugar or cholesterol as these are only indicators of the problem,” Kapoor told participants. 

He said medications often only suppress symptoms without addressing the root cause. Kapoor stressed the importance of diet and lifestyle changes to attain well-being goals. His philosophy is based on five pillars: Food, detox, circadian rhythm, physical activity and emotional and spiritual balance. His sessions at AMA are aimed at preventing and reversing chronic illnesses while promoting vitality and well-being. The organisers said the strategies include using whole foods to avoid health issues and reverse chronic conditions, as well as understanding the science behind plantbased diet and health transformation. “Some of the topics to be covered over the sessions include epigenetics, the physiology of diseases, and causes and solutions for issues such as cancer, kidney diseases, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and others,” an organiser said.

No relief for govt official accused in toilet scam

No relief for govt official accused in toilet scam 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 04.10.2024 

Ahmedabad : The Gujarat high court has refused to drop corruption charges against a govt officer who approved bills without physically verifying construction work in an alleged toilet construction scam. The scam is said to have taken place under the Nirmal Gujarat Sauchalay Yojana in Okha town of Devbhumi Dwarka district. While rejecting the quashing petition by the then incharge chief officer of Okha municipality, the HC stated in its order, “Being the head of the department and a responsible officer, it is his duty to verify the actual status of the toilets and he should not have blindly trusted the reports submitted by the person concerned.” In this case, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) had filed an FIR against various people in 2018, including the then in-charge chief officer of Okha municipality, Jayesh Patel, charging them with criminal conspiracy, breach of trust, forgery and corruption. 

The FIR was filed regarding an alleged fraud involving a govt scheme aimed at building toilets for the poor. According to the complaint, substantial funds were misappropriated through the approval of fraudulent bills, despite the promised toilets not being constructed in several locations. 

The chief officer approached the HC for quashing of the FIR, claiming innocence. He said he had merely signed the bills and reports submitted by the local voluntary organisations (LVOs) and his subordinates, relying on their trustworthiness, and that his signature was intended only to grant clearance. It was not his duty to physically verify the place, he said. However, the HC said that it was the officer’s duty to con duct the process of physical verification and then only sign the reports. “Not only that, the said report was without any photograph, which clearly goes on to show dereliction in discharge of his duty and/or his involvement in the commission of crime,” the HC order said. The chief officer also cited the delay in investigation as a ground for dropping the charges against him, stating that the chargesheet could not be filed after so many years.  The state govt argued that the investigator has been able to visit and draw panchnamas for only 334 of 4,032 toilets. Out of these, 27 toilets have not been constructed, and in some cases, only walls were erected, or partitions were fixed. The construction was not in accordance with the scheme. Refusing to interfere with the ongoing investigation, the HC said in its order, “Whole reading of FIR discloses ingredients of offence. The applicant has failed to point out that FIR is mala fide, frivolous or vexatious.”

UGC Regulation On Selection Committee For Appointment Of Assistant Professor Not Applicable To Minority Institutions: Madras High Court

UGC Regulation On Selection Committee For Appointment Of Assistant Professor Not Applicable To Minority Institutions: Madras High Court

Upasana Sajeev

30 Sept 2024 1:05 PM

The Madras High Court recently held that the UGC regulations prescribing setting up of a selection committee for the appointment of assistant professor was not applicable to minority institutions.

Justice RN Manjula noted that since the selection committee includes outsiders, giving them the power to select the appointees for the post of Assistant Professors would amount to interfering with the administration of the minority institution. The court added that the administration of the affairs of the institution cannot be given in the hands of outsiders.

“The members of the selection committee includes the outsiders. By inducting them and giving them the power to select the appointees for the minority institution would amount to allowing them to interfere with the administration of the minority institutions. As the appointment of teachers is an administrative function over which the minority institutions have got their own autonomy, it can not be given in the hands of the outsiders in the name of a selection committee. What cannot be done directly cannot be allowed to be done indirectly as well,” the court observed.

The court also observed that mandating the UGC regulation of selection committees to these institutions would interfere with their autonomous status. The court thus noted that the selection of faculties in minority institutions could not be compelled to be made through the selection committee contemplated in the UGC regulations.

“When one regulation of U.G.C. prescribes certain standards and autonomous status is conferred due to the compliance of the same, the other U.G.C regulation can not stultify the same. The regulation concerning selection committee can not be mandated against the minority institution as that will go counter-productive and self-contradictive to their well approved autonomous status,” the court said.

The court was hearing a batch of pleas filed by colleges in Madurai challenging the proceedings issued by Madurai Kamaraj University and directing the university to give qualification approval to the appointment of individuals as Assistant Professor in the respective colleges. The University had refused to grant approval stating that the appointments were made without forming a Selection Committee as per the UGC regulation 2018.

The petitioner colleges submitted that the University could not compel minority institutions to form a Selection Committee and the law in this regard has already been laid down in the case of The Forum of Minority Institutions and Associations Vs. The State of Tamil Nadu and other. The petitioner submitted that in the above case, the court had already held that the UGC regulations were not applicable to minority institutions. Thus, the petitioners argued that the similar UGC 2018 regulation would also not be applicable to the institutions.

The court noted that the State's regulatory power over minority colleges is restricted to the prescription of qualification and the State could not have power over the prescription of methodoly of recruitment, constitution of selection committee, etc.

While the court noted that the quality of teachers appointed to these institutions had to be maintained, the court also noted that in the present case, it was not claimed that the persons appointed by the colleges lacked qualifications. The court noted that in the present case, the colleges themselves have come forward to seek qualification approval.

The court also noted that in the present case, the standard of the colleges was subjected to periodical scrutiny by members of the standing committee and only upon their recommendations, the conferment for extension of autonomy would be granted. The court thus noted that the conferment of autonomous status upon the colleges would give an implied approval for their quality and merit in the selection of the teachers and students of the institutions.

The court thus allowed the petitions filed by the colleges and directed the University to reconsider the applications of the colleges to grant qualification approval for the appointments made by the colleges without insisting on the selection committee procedure contemplated under UGC Regulation 2018.

Counsel for the Petitioner: Mr. Issac Mohanlal, Senior Advocate for M/s. Issac Chambers, M/s A. Amala

Counsel for the Respondents: Mr.T.Amjad Khan, Government Advocate, Mr.M.Siddharthan, AGP, Mr.T.Sakthi Kumaran, Standing counsel, Mr.Mahaboob Athiff, Mr.T.Amjadahan, GA

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Mad) 368

Case Title: The Principal & Secretary v The State of Tamil Nadu and Others

Case No: W.P.(MD) No.20228 of 2023 batch

Senior citizen liaison officers rush to the aid of the city’s elderly

Senior citizen liaison officers rush to the aid of the city’s elderly

Special sub-inspector A. Babu and staff from the LPG agency at the residence of senior citizen Satyanarayanan at Selvapuram in Coimbatore.

The Hindu Bureau

Coimbatore 04.10.2024 

When Satyanarayanan, a senior citizen from Selvapuram in Coimbatore, contacted his LPG provider and requested to replace a leaking gas regulator, a service person from the LPG agency visited the house and disconnected regulator.

He asked Mr. Satyanarayanan to visit the agency’s office the next day to get a new regulator.

Aged 82, Mr. Satyanarayanan and his wife were in need of the regulator on the same day to cook their food. He contacted his son, who is residing in Bengaluru and narrated the incident. The son in turn informed the matter to Special sub-inspector A. Babu of Selvapuram police station.

The policeman immediately contacted the LPG agency and visited Mr. Satyanarayanan’s residence along with a service person, who installed a new gas regulator.

Mr. Babu is one of the 24 personnel of the Coimbatore City Police, who have been working as senior citizen liaison officers.

An initiative by City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan, these officers are in touch with senior citizens living within the jurisdiction of their police stations and respond swiftly when their service is sought.

According to Rohini, Inspector of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, who is in-charge of the senior citizen liaison programme, a total of 938 senior citizens, mostly aged 65 and above, have submitted their details with the respective police stations. Out of them, 616 have downloaded Tamil Nadu Police’s Kavalan – SOS app.

Besides rendering various assistance to the senior citizens whose details are available with the police, the officers also help mentally-challenged persons found on the streets, mediate family disputes, support destitute people and provide other legal assistance.

Aspirants galore for new positions at Bharathiar University

Aspirants galore for new positions at Bharathiar University

The Hindu Bureau

COIMBATORE 04.10.2024 

Following Bharathiar University’s recent notification inviting applications for the posts of Registrar and Controller of Examinations on a tenure basis, several senior professors and faculty members from affiliated colleges have thrown their hat in the ring, university sources report.

According to the notification, both positions are for a three-year term. Applicants for the Registrar post must be at least 50 years old but not older than 55 at the time of application. No lower age limit has been specified for the Controller of Examinations role.

The university has reportedly received over 20 applications for each post, with candidates including senior-level professors from within the university. The first year of service will be a probationary period, and continuation in the role will depend on a satisfactory performance review by the Syndicate.

College heads expressed relief at the move, emphasising the importance of also filling tenure posts in other departments such as the School of Distance Education, UGC-Human Resource Development Centre, Curriculum Development Cell, and Research and Development Centre, which have faced delays.

The effort to fill the positions, though overdue, was welcomed. A senior professor noted that the university’s administration had been severely affected by delays in decision-making since the departure of full-time Vice-Chancellor P. Kaliraj in October 2022.

Chennai Metro Rail Phase II finally gets Centre’s green light

Chennai Metro Rail Phase II finally gets Centre’s green light

From Page One  04.10.2024 

“From land acquisition to the extension, there were several questions. One of the key points was, why the length of the project was changed almost three times. From the initial 107 km, it went up to 118.9 km, and the cost too was changed quite a few times. They needed justifications for all these issues, and they were provided,” a source said.

There is expected relief in the State government camp, who are confident that the Centre’s contribution of ₹7,425 crore will come through soon. There is expectation that the current pace of the project will pick up, sources said.

Mr. Stalin said the long-pending demand of the people of Tamil Nadu had been addressed now. ‘‘We are confident of completing the project at the earliest,’’ he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). He also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for accepting the State’s request during his meeting with him recently, and approving the second phase of the Chennai Metro Rail Project. Many congested and busy locations, in the city will stand to benefit as the trains will run through the stations to be set up in these areas.

Deans posted to 14 govt. medical colleges after months of delay

Deans posted to 14 govt. medical colleges after months of delay

P. Leo David has been posted as the dean of Government Kilpauk Medical College.

Among the 14 institutions are those where the deans retired in March and April this year. The Hindu had reported about the delay in postings

The Hindu Bureau

CHENNAI 04.10.2024 

After months of delay, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday issued an order to fill the vacant posts of deans in 14 government medical colleges.

According to the order, G. Sivasankar, director and professor of Urology, Madras Medical College (MMC), has been posted as the dean of Government Chengalpattu Medical College; 

M. Bhavani, medical superintendent/professor, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, as the dean of Government Medical College, Kallakurichi; 

and T. Ravikumar, medical superintendent/professor, Government Medical College and Employees State Insurance Corporation Hospital, Coimbatore, as the dean of Government Erode Medical College and Hospital, Perundurai.

V. Ramalakshmi, professor of Ophthalmology, Government Tirunelveli Medical College, will be the dean of Kanyakumari Government Medical College, Asaripallam.

S. Kumaravel, professor of Orthopaedics, Government Thanjavur Medical College, has been posted as the dean of K.A.P. Viswanatham Government Medical College, Tiruchi; 

and L. Arul Sundaresh Kumar, professor of ENT, Madurai Medical College, as the dean of Madurai Medical College.

R. Amutha Rani, professor of Anaesthesia, Government Tirunelveli Medical College, will be the dean of Government Medical College, Ramanathapuram; 

P. Leo David, vice principal/professor, Kanyakumari Government Medical College, the dean of Government Kilpauk Medical College (KMC); 

and J. Devi Meenal, professor of Radio Diagnosis, KMC, the dean of Government Mohan Kumaramangalam Medical College, Salem. 

S. Kalaivani, director and professor, Dermato Venereo and Leprosy, MMC, has been posted as the dean, Government Medical College, Pudukkottai; 

and S. Muthuchitra, professor of ENT, KMC, as the dean of Government Theni Medical College.

V. Lokanayaki, professor of Anatomy, KMC; and T. Jeyasingh, professor of Forensic Medicine, Government Coimbatore Medical College; have been posted as the deans of the Government Medical College, Karur and Government Medical College, Virudhunagar respectively. 

M. Rohinidevi, professor of Anatomy, Government Coimbatore Medical College, will be the dean of Government Vellore Medical College.

The Hindu had reported on the delay in posting regular deans and its impact in its articles published on August 16 [Dean post remains vacant in a number of government medical colleges in the State] and September 30 [In T.N., 14 government medical colleges continue to function without regular deans]. Among the 14 institutions are those where the deans retired in March and April this year.

தமிழகத்தில் ஒரே நாளில் 14 மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர்கள் நியமனம்! வந்த அதிகாரப்பூர்வ அறிவிப்பு

தமிழகத்தில் ஒரே நாளில் 14 மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர்கள் நியமனம்! வந்த அதிகாரப்பூர்வ அறிவிப்பு 

By Vigneshkumar Published: Friday, October 4, 2024, 0:37 [IST] 

சென்னை: தமிழ்நாட்டில் பல மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் டீன்கள் பதவி காலியாக இருப்பதாகவும் இதை உடனடியாக நிரப்ப வேண்டும் என்றும் கல்வியாளர்கள் பலரும் தொடர்ந்து வலியுறுத்தி வந்தனர். இதற்கிடையே 14 மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர்களை நியமித்து தமிழ்நாடு அரசு இப்போது அரசாணையை வெளியிட்டுள்ளது. தமிழ்நாட்டில் மொத்தம் 30க்கும் மேற்பட்ட அரசு மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகள் உள்ளன. இந்தியாவிலேயே வேறு எந்த மாநிலத்திலும் இல்லாத அளவுக்குத் தமிழகத்தில் அதிகபட்ச அரசு மருத்துவ கல்லூரிகள் உள்ளன.இது தமிழ்நாட்டில் மருத்துவம் படிக்கும் மாணவர்களுக்குப் பேருதவியாக இருக்கிறது. அரசு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளில் சேரும் மாணவர்களால் குறைந்த செலவில் மருத்துவம் படிக்க முடியும்.

கல்லூரி டீன்கள்: இருப்பினும், கடந்த சில காலமாகவே இதில் 14 கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர்கள் இல்லாமல் இருந்தன. சென்னை, செங்கல்பட்டு, மதுரை எனப் பல மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகள் டீன்கள் இல்லாமலேயே செயல்பட்டு வந்தன. இதைக் கல்வியாளர்கள் பலரும் சுட்டிக்காட்டி விரைந்து டீன்களை நியமிக்க வேண்டும் எனக் கோரிக்கை விடுத்து வந்தனர். இது தொடர்பாகச் சமீபத்தில் அமைச்சர் மா. சுப்பிரமணியனிடம் கேட்ட போதும் மிக விரைவில் இந்த மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளுக்கான முதல்வர்கள் நியமிக்கப்படுவார்கள் என்று உறுதியளித்திருந்தார். இதற்கிடையே இப்போது 14 மருத்துவக் கல்லூரிகளுக்கு முதல்வர்கள் நியமனம் செய்து தமிழ்நாடு அரசு உத்தரவிட்டுள்ளது.

அறிவிப்பு: அதன்படி

சென்னை கீழ்ப்பாக்கம் மருத்துவ கல்லூரி முதல்வராக லியோ டேவிட்,

செங்கல்பட்டு மருத்துவ கல்லூரி முதல்வராக சிவசங்கர், 

மதுரை மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக அருள் சுந்தரேஷ்குமார், 

திருச்சி மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக குமரவேல் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

அதேபோல வேலூர் மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி மருத்துவமனை முதல்வராக ரோகிணி தேவி,

குமரி மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி முதல்வராக ராம லட்சுமி, 

கள்ளக்குறிச்சி மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராகப் பவானி,

ஈரோடு மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக ரவிக்குமார் நியமனம் செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளனர். 

மேலும், ராமநாதபுரம் மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி முதல்வராக அமுதா ராணி, 

கரூர் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக லோகநாயகி,

விருதுநகர் மருத்துவக்கல்லூரி முதல்வராக ஜெயசிங், 

சேலம் மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக தேவி மீனாள் நியமிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்.

இது தவிரப் புதுக்கோட்டை மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக கலைவாணி,

தேனி மருத்துவக் கல்லூரி முதல்வராக சித்ரா நியமனம் செய்யப்படுவதாகத் தமிழ்நாடு அரசு அரசாணையில் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

Read more at: https://tamil.oneindia.com/news/chennai/tamil-nadu-govt-has-appointed-deans-for-14-medical-colleges-643639.html

Supreme Court stays Tamil Nadu Police action against Sadhguru's Isha Foundation

Supreme Court stays Tamil Nadu Police action against Sadhguru's Isha Foundation

By HT News Desk

Oct 03, 2024 12:48 PM IST

The Supreme Court stayed Madras high court order that sought a report from Tamil Nadu Police on criminal cases registered against Sadhguru's Isha Foundation.

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Madras high court order that sought a report from the Tamil Nadu Police on all criminal cases registered against Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's Isha Foundation, news agency PTI reported.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the foundation, had sought an urgent hearing from the top court and the Centre has responded in favour of it. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta said the “High Court should have been very circumspect”.

The bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud also transferred the habeas corpus petition, alleging forceful detention of two young women by the foundation, from the high court to itself.

The bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, enquired the two women in private via video conferencing before passing final orders. One of the women alleged that their father has been “harassing” them over the past 8 years.

“These are issues of religious freedom. This is a very urgent and serious case. This is about Isha Foundation, there is Sadhguru who is very revered and has lakhs of followers. The high court cannot start such enquiries on oral assertions,” said CJI Chandrachud, Bar and Bench reported.

The Supreme Court also restrained the Tamil Nadu Police from taking any further action as per the directions of high court and asked it to submit the status report to the top court itself.

What did Madras high court said?

The Madras high court was hearing a habeas corpus petition of a retired professor, who alleged that his well-educated daughters, aged 42 and 39, respectively, have been brainwashed by Jaggi Vasudev to live at Isha Yoga Centre in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore permanently.

In his petition, the professor alleged that some kind of food and medicine is being administered at the centre to his daughters, which made them lose their cognitive abilities.

The foundation argued that the court could not expand the scope of this case, as the daughters have admitted to living at the centre out of their own volition.

“You will not understand because you are appearing for a particular party. But this court is neither for nor against anybody. We only want to do justice to the litigants,” said the high court before passing an order asking the Tamil Nadu government to submit a status report on pending criminal cases against the foundation.

A strong contingent of around 150 police personnel and government officials inspected the foundation's Yoga Centre in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore on Tuesday to inspect the conditions at the centre. The team was headed by Coimbatore district superintendent of police K Karthikeyan and District Social Welfare Officer R Ambika. "The officials held an enquiry with the persons at the foundation," a senior police official said.