Appointments Made In Political Considerations Can't Be Given Seal Of Approval: Calcutta HC Orders Health Dept To Reconstitute District Committees

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday has ruled that in matters pertaining to public employment, fair selection of employees is essential. The petitioner argued that by virtue of such political appointments there was a serious apprehension as to the existence of nepotism and malpractice in the selection process of contractual employees through such Selection Committees as also an apprehension of bias whereby likelihood of preference would be given to supporters of the ruling political party and candidates connected thereto. On merits, the Court arrived at the finding that Ministers, MLAs and leaders of the ruling political party in the State of West Bengal had been appointed as Chairman of the district level Selection Committees in all the districts of the State and that none of the appointed Chairmen, except for one, had any expertise in the field of health services. The Court also took stock of a pleading made by the State respondents in its affidavit-in-opposition admitting that the Chairmen had been appointed as they were well known to the public and consequently the implication before the Court from such admission was that such political appointments had been made for the sole purpose of appointing influential political leaders as Chairmen of the Selection Committees. Agreeing with the petitioner's argument that the appointment of influential political leaders as Chairmen of Selection Committees at various districts entertained a very real likelihood and danger of bias, the Court simultaneously rejected the argument of the Respondent State on the point that there was no likelihood of bias as the Chairmen were only involved in the interviewing of prospective candidates which by itself had very little weightage in the selection process.