HC slams govt, says no more compassionate appointment for MLAs children

KOCHI: The Kerala High Court harshly criticised the government on the plea against the compassionate appointment of former MLA K K Ramachandran’s (late) son. The court said giving compassionate appointments to the children and relatives of peoples’ representatives would lead to the appointment of even children of the panchayat president, to government jobs.

The court said it would pave way for backdoor appointments and thereby social discrimination. This is not recognized in the Kerala Service Rules. It is clearly stated in the revocation order that the children of MLAs cannot be given appointments.

The court had last week quashed the appointment of R Prashanth, an engineering graduate, giving a supernumerary post in the public works department. It was quashed on the plea filed by Ashok Kumar of Palakkad. The plea said his post was illegal as the MLA was not a government servant. The objective of the scheme for compassionate appointment was to grant employment to a dependent family member of a government servant dying in harness. An MLA’s son did not come under the purview of the scheme.