HC stays teacher hiring test

TS asked if it can make new districts as unit

The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday instructed the state government and the TS Public Service Commission (TSPSC) not to hold the teachers recruitment test till resolving of a dispute over considering all 31 districts of the state as a unit.

The court sought to know from the government the basis for considering the 31 districts as a unit.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice Abhinand Kumar Shavili was hearing a petition filed by Mr G. Arun Kumar and three others, challenging the rules issued on October 10 for the test, which prescribed the reorganised revenue districts as the local area and unit of appointment for study/residence.

Mr S. Rahul Reddy, counsel for the petitioner, said the government had notified the rules in violation of the Presidential Order 1975 and Article 371-D of the Constitution.

While contending that the Presidential Order was applicable to the erstwhile 10 districts, Mr Rahul Reddy urged the court to declare the rules as illegal and direct the government to recruit the secondary grade teachers by considering the previous 10 districts as a unit.

The bench asked whether or not a local resident of a district would become nonlocal if the district was reorganised into three.

The bench asked Advocate-General D. Prakash Reddy how the government could consider 31 districts as a unit when the Presidential Order spoke about local area reservations for 10 districts.

Mr Prakash Reddy said that teachers posts were district cadre posts and the Presidential Order would not be applicable for the district cadre.

He contended that the number of districts was increased in accordance with the Presidential Order and any reduction in the number of districts would violate the order.

He said increasing the number of districts would not affect local candidates, and added that the recruitment notification was based on the order of the Supreme Court.

Not convinced by the submission, the bench asked if there was any provision under the application for the candidates to mention the erstwhile district.