T. MYTLE GRACE Vs. TAMILNADU AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY, COIMBATORE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) All the petitions are filed by Dr. T. Mytlee Grace, who is now a Professor of Taminadu Agricultural University. The petitions relate to the fixation of her pay consequent to her promotions to the post of Associate Professor and Professor under CAS. Therefore, the pleadings of the petitioner in all the writ petitions are dealt with in this common order.

(2.) Heard the counsels for both sides and perused the records and the written submissions. The petitioner is presently a Professor with the Tamilnadu Agricultural University. She joined the University as Assistant Professor, Agronomy in the year 1988. The petitioner was subjected to some enquiries in the past relating to some reports in the Press regarding some alleged foul play in the affairs of the Tamilnadu Agricultural University which however is not part of the relief sought in this writ petition. The petitioner sees bias on the part of the University officials in determining her career progress on account of the above incident.

(3.) The brief facts of the case is that the petitioner appeared for CAS interview in the year 2002 for the post of Associate Professor. She was not selected. She again appeared for CAS interview for the post of Associate Professor during 2003. She got selected and joined the post of Associate Professor from 10.02.2003 at the Agricultural Research Station, Paramakudi. The Professor and Head, Agricultural Research Station, Paramakudi, passed the pay fixation order for the petitioner on 31.03.2003. The pay was fixed with retrospective effect from 27.07.1998, being the date on which the petitioner became eligible for the post of Associate Professor under CAS. The order carried the condition that the arrears from 27.07.1998 to 28.02.2003 will be claimed later and that the pay fixation order is subject to the verification by Audit in due course. While the pay fixation order was implemented, the arrears was not paid to the petitioner for want of the Audit Approval.