G GUNAVATHY Vs. STATE OF TAMIL NADU

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE facts giving rise to filing of the present writ petition is as follows:-THE petitioner, an Electrician Trade holder from Industrial Training Institute, Salem, has filed this writ petition in public interest. THE petitioner after completing her course in Electrician trade, registered the same in the District Employment Office, Salem in 1998 which was subsequently renewed from time to time. According to her, in the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as "the Board"), due to non-filling of the post of Helpers / Electricians for the past 20 years, huge vacancies had arisen approximately to the extent of 22,815. It is the specific grievance of the petitioner that the Board, to recruit 2500 Helpers / Electricians, has chosen to call for from the category of "male" holding ITI Electrician Certificate, particularly who have registered in the concerned District Employment Office on or after 1989 thereby totally neglecting the female eligible candidates. This action on the part of the Board, according to the petitioner, is in violation of the reservation policy adopted by the Government. Since several women contract Helpers are working in the establishment in various circles all over the State, the action of the Board in rejecting the women on the ground of unsuitability would cause prejudice to the rights and interests of the womanhood in the general public. Pointing out the aforesaid aspects, the petitioner had made a representation to the fourth respondent, namely, the Superintending Engineer, in person, on 05.01.2006, but the same was not considered. Since the Chief Engineer in his letter dated 16.12.2005 has indicated that the suitability of the women candidates for the Helper post is not ensured and women candidates need not be requisitioned from the Employment Exchange and the 30% reservation provided for Women also need not be implemented, the petitioner has come forward with the present writ petition praying for issuance of Mandamus directing the Board to include the petitioner and other women candidates possessing requisite qualification to the post of Helpers in the present recruitment drive.

(2.) THOUGH the writ petition is of the year 2006, no counter is filed by the respondents and, today, when the matter came up for hearing, there is no representation on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board.

(3.) HEARD the learned counsel for the petitioner as well as the Addl. Government Pleader representing the State and perused the documents on record.