(1.) THE controversy in the present petition relates to the eligibility of respondent No.4 to occupy the post of Principal, Government College of Education, Srinagar. On 30th June 2004, the post fell vacant due to the retirement of Prof. Farhat Tasleem, who was working as Principal of the said College till that date. The petitioner, who is holding the post of selection grade Lecturer in the U.G.C pay scale of Rs.3700 -5700, was authorized to look after the College affairs as well as to function as Drawing and Disbursing Officer for the College, till the time a regular Principal is posted in the College. Later by means of the Government order No. 247 -HE of 2004 dated 30.11.2004 one Zeenat Ara -respondent No.4, who was working as Principal Government College for Women, Baramulla, was transferred and posted as Principal of the College. The petitioner has challenged the transfer and posting of respondent No.4, as the Principal Government College of Education, Srinagar, on the ground that she does not possess the requisite qualifications for the said post. She has by means of the present writ petition prayed for quashment of the said Government order. The petitioner prays for the following relief: -
(2.) THE official respondents as well as respondent No.4 have filed their reply. The State has taken the stand that the petitioner has got no locus to challenge the posting of respondent No.4 as Principal of the said College. It is the case of the official respondents that respondent No.4 has been duly appointed as Principal in the year 2004 by virtue of Government Order No.04 -HE of 2004 dated 6.1.2004 and has been posted as Principal Government College of Education, Srinagar, after having been transferred from Baramulla. Compared to this fact the petitioner, according to the respondents, is only a selection grade Lecturer who could not make it to the post of Principal when her case was considered by the Public Service Commission alongwith all other eligible candidates including respondent No.4.
(3.) RESPONDENT No.4 has in her reply stated that she has got a Masterâ„¢s Degree in Commerce and Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Commerce to her credit. She also possesses Masterâ„¢s Degree of Arts in the subject of Economics. She has published various papers so far and has attended the refresher courses/ workshops and participated in various national seminars. She has further stated that she is qualified to hold the post of Principal in the College of Education at Srinagar and that she has been posted as such in the interest of administration with full knowledge of rules and qualifications.