KARTHICK.K Vs. S.PARAMESWARAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The proceedings dtd. 12/8/2021 issued by the Fit Person of Arulmighu Subramaniya Swamy Thirukoil, Kumaravayalur, Srirangam Taluk, Trichy is under challenge in both these writ petitions. Vide impugned proceedings, the Fit Person had appointed Thiru.K.Kailash, S.Prabu and S.Jayabalan to the post of Archakar in the said temple. The appointments of S.Prabu and S.Jayabalan have been questioned by the petitioners herein. Notification dtd. 6/7/2021 was issued calling for applications from eligible persons for filling up the vacancies that had arisen in various posts including the three posts of Archakar. The petitioners herein applied in response thereto. However, they were not selected. In the meanwhile, the impugned appointment order came to be issued on 12/8/2021.

(2.) The learned counsel appearing for the petitioners reiterated all the contentions set out in the affidavit filed in support of the writ petitions and called upon this Court to quash the impugned order and grant relief as prayed for. Interim order was granted at the time of admission. To vacate the same, petitions had been filed by the Government. The learned Additional Advocate General took me through its contents. Shri.Prabu as well as Shri.Jayabalan who are figuring as respondents have also filed counter affidavits and the learned Senior Counsel appearing for them submitted that the writ petitions deserve to be dismissed.

(3.) I carefully considered the rival contentions and went through the materials on record. The respondents have raised two preliminary objections. They pointed out that these writ petitions have been filed only in September 2022 while the impugned order was issued on 12/8/2021. They argue that this Court ought not to entertain a belated challenge in service matters. The second contention is that the petitioners having taken part in the selection process are estopped from challenging the parameters and norms that governed the selection process. They relied on a host of case-laws in support of the aforesaid contentions.