Breather for Letika as court stays CAT order

CHENNAI: The operation of the orders dated May 31 last of the Tamil Nadu Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) setting aside the order appointing Letika Saran as DGP of the State has been stayed by the Madras High Court.A division bench comprising Justice E Dharma Rao and Justice M Venugopal granted the stay while admitting a writ appeal from Letika, on Wednesday.The bench posted the matter for further hearing after two weeks. Originally, while passing orders on an application from R Nataraj, former Director of Fire and Rescue department, the CAT on May 31 last set aside the order dated January 8, 2010 of the then State Chief Secretary appointing Letika as the DGP. The Tribunal had also directed the government to consider the claim of Nataraj for appointment to the post of DGP, along with other eligible persons in the panel.Aggrieved, Letika filed the present appeal.Among other things, Letika contended that being a senior or first in the list/panel did not confer any right to be appointed to the post.Nataraj’s claim having been considered, he would have no vested right to be selected. The discretion exercised by the state in selecting a particular officer as DGP would not be interfered with by the court.