HC raps ministers in appointment case

Wednesday, November 12 1997

HC raps ministers in appointment case

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, November 11: The Delhi high court has strongly criticised ``growing tendency to politicise the top posts in government and public sector undertakings'' and questioned the roles of Agriculture Minister Chaturanan Mishra and Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in the appointment of executive director of National Horticulture Board (NHB).

Justice Usha Mehra scotching the ``political manoeuvres'' to appoint J P Negi as the ED of NHB, said in her recent judgement that ``Mr Negi will not function as executive director of NHB, nor paid salary for this post nor any other person will be appointed on regular basis on the post till the next date of hearing on January 12, 1998.''

Meanwhile, Mishra who is also the NHB chairman said, he would go on appeal against the HC verdict cancelling the appointment of Negi as he claimed to have made this appointment after consulting the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).

Petitioner, Dr V K Patil, through counsels G D Gupta and Pramod Gupta, had alleged that though he was duly selected to be appointed as the ED of NHB, the choice was being scuttled to favour political bosses.

Mehra, who went through the Agriculture ministry files in detail, found that Mishra had recommended on April 2, last, appointment of Rita Sharma as ED of NHB. However, Mishra had approved the name of Patil for the same post in September 1996 and the matter then forwarded to the ACC. ``However, on July 22, 1997, a letter was received by the Minister of Agriculture from CM Virbhadra Singh of HP thereby strongly recommending the name of J P Singh (1975 batch IAS, Himachal cadre) to be appointed as executive director of NHB,'' Mehra said.

``On receipt of this letter, the secretary of Ministry of Agriculture on August 1, 1997, recommended to department of personnel the name of J P Singh to the post of executive director of NHB,'' she said.

``These facts prima facie show that the name of petitioner (Dr Patil) has scuttled with a mala fide intention to please powers that be.

The note of Agriculture minister of April 2, last, and the letter of July 22, 1997, of the Himachal Pradesh CM speaks volumes of the interference with the appointment of regular selected candidate,'' the judge observed withanguish.