SRINAGAR: The J&K and Ladakh High Court has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara to conduct an inquiry into the engagement of ReTs, for which applications were invited in 2010, and submit a report within eight weeks.
The petitioner stated in court that she had applied for the posts of ReT, for which applications were invited by the ZEO Kupwara for Primary School Wani Mohallah Manzhar in 2010.
After hearing the counsel for both parties, the court directed the Deputy Commissioner Kupwara to hold an enquiry into the matter and submit the report to the court within eight weeks.
The court noted that there are contradictory reports on the record regarding this petition and the fact that the earlier enquiry was conducted by the Principal of GHSS Kupwara.
The court stated that the respondents cannot claim that the Principal conducted the enquiry on his own.
The petition was heard by Justice Sindhu Sharma.
“To verify the facts, it would be appropriate to get the enquiry conducted by an independent authority. Accordingly, the Deputy Commissioner of Kupwara is directed to hold an enquiry to determine whether the petitioner had applied pursuant to Advertisement Notice dated 21.04.2010, and also to verify the petitioner’s residence,” the court said.
The court further added, “The Deputy Commissioner shall conduct the enquiry after issuing notice to all the parties involved and provide them with an opportunity of hearing. The report in this regard shall be submitted before this Court within a period of eight weeks.”
The case has been listed for a hearing on September 22.
The petitioner contends that despite being eligible and meritorious and having applied for the above post, she was not considered for engagement, allegedly on the ground that she had not applied for the said post.
The Chief Education Officer directed the Principal of Girls Higher Secondary School Kupwara to conduct an enquiry into the matter. The Principal of GHSS Kupwara stated that Incharge ReT engagement, Ghulam Nabi Rather, had produced the original application file of the petitioner along with a photocopy of the master list containing 16 candidates, which includes the name of the petitioner.
The petitioner mentioned that no action was taken despite the report against the selected candidate, prompting her to approach the Court seeking quashing of the selection list. The plea stated that the petitioner is more meritorious and entitled to be selected, and the selection of the chosen candidate, Syed Talib Hussain, is a result of fraud.
“They have denied the assertions and the handing over of files for verification and preparation of the panel as baseless. In-charge, Abdul Hamid Dar, has also signed the letter provided to the petitioner under the RTI Act, stating that she had not applied for the said post,” the petitioner informed the court.
It has also been submitted that they have denied the list of 16 candidates as completely baseless, and the enquiry officer, according to them, has not gone through the report of District Education Planning Officer, Kupwara, as well as that of the Chief Education Officer.
The court heard the counsel for both parties, Advocate Mansoor Ahmad for the petitioner and Syed Musaid Dy AG. (KNO).
