SOUMYA RAVI Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition is filed with the following prayers:-

(2.) Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned counsel appearing for respondents 2 and 3 as well as the learned Government Pleader.

(3.) It is submitted that the petitioner was appointed on contract basis as Technical Assistant in the 3rd respondent Panchayat in implementation of the e-Governance Scheme of the Government of Kerala. It is submitted that the petitioner was appointed on 9/3/2020 on contract basis for one year and thereafter, the appointment was extended from time to time. It is stated that Government Orders had been rendered directing the extension of tenure of persons appointed under the e-Governance project and the petitioner had been granted the benefits of the same. The petitioner had submitted a request before the 3rd respondent seeking further extension of the contract by Ext. P5, but the same was rejected by the Panchayat by Ext. P6 resolution. It is submitted that the petitioner had approached the Deputy Director of Panchayats and by Ext. P8 proceedings, the Deputy Director had required all local self government institutions to extend the contract of existing employees. This Court in Ext. P9 judgment had considered an identical situation and had held that in case where no performance appraisal is conducted by a duly constituted committee, the service of contractual appointees under the e-Governance project cannot be terminated at the instance of the Grama Panchayats.