In a major relief to candidates selected through campus interviews by public sector undertakings (PSUs), the Madras HC on Wednesday vacated its earlier interim order, which directed PSUs conducting campus interview in colleges, which included IITs, to maintain status quo.
A division bench comprising chief justice M.Y. Eqbal and Justice T.S. Sivagnanam, however, made it clear that any appointment made after filing of the petition by advocate M. Palanimuthu shall be subject to the result of the petition.
The bench also allowed Deori Adarsh Kumar and 21 others, selected through campus interview by PSUs, to implead themselves in the case.
Contending that recruitment for various positions in PSUs should be done either through employment exchanges or public advertisements, Mr Palanimuthu sought a direction to ban all campus interviews and to forbear the PSUs from participating in campus selection.
Mr M. Ravi, counsel for impleading parties, submitted that these candidates have been selected by campus interview by various PSUs prior to the court’s status quo order. They were selected purely on merit and were ready to join their posts.
Counsel for the impleaded respondents submitted that much prejudice would be caused to the candidates if they were not allowed to join work since campus recruitment has been done solely on merit and after following the roster system.
Further, the candidates had lost a chance to participate in other selection processes.
“In the light of the averments, we are of the opinion that if the interim order is allowed to continue, it will cause undue harassment to the candidates and the balance of convenience appears to be more on the side of the candidates, who have been selected much prior to the grant of status quo order,” the bench said.
“Accordingly, the order of status quo granted is vacated,” the bench added.