Says there is no merit in petitioner's claims
the goan I network
PANAJI
The State advocate general has cleared the selection of principals to five government colleges in the State, on grounds that the five appointments by Goa Public Service Commission (GPSC) were legal and valid.
The advocate general claimed that there was no merit in the claims of Dr Bhushan Bhave, associate professor at PES College in Ponda, who had challenged the appointment of five candidates by the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE), based on recommendations of the GPSC.
According to reports, the GPSC had released an advertisement on October 14, 2016 seeking to fill the post of principals at five government colleges at Sanquelim, Khandola, Pernem, Margao and Quepem.
The applications of 16 candidates were accepted to these posts and the petitioner, Dr Bhave, was one among these applicants.
All procedures regarding the recruitment process was completed and the five candidates selected were Gervasio Mendes, Purnkala Samant, Joydeep Bhattacharjee, Filipe Rodrigues e Mello and Gajanan Madiwal.
The five appointed candidates were handed offer letters by the DHE on December 22, 2016, completed their medical examinations and were waiting for appointment letters.
Aggrieved that he was not selected to the post, Dr Bhave challenged the appointments on grounds that he had not been called for an interview, despite fulfilling all criteria to the post.
Arguing that the appointment procedure was conducted illegally, in haste and had neglected important criteria, Dr Bhave filed a petition in the high court.
The high court had directed the State government on March 16 to consider his petition as a representation and deal with the same in accordance with law as early as possible, preferably within four weeks.
The government referred the matter to the DHE, who sought the legal advice of Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande.
However, the matter was left pending for the next six months as the government was yet to take any decision in the matter.
Recently, the advocate general advised the DHE that there was no merit in the claims of the petitioner, Dr Bhave, adding that the appointments by GPSC were legal and valid, thereby paving the way for the appointment of the five principals.
Way cleared
The applications of 16 candidates were accepted to the posts and the petitioner Dr Bhave was one among these applicants
Five candidates were selected and handed offer letters by the DHE on December 22, 2016
Dr Bhave challenged in HC the appointments on grounds that he had not been called for an interview, despite fulfilling all criteria to the post
The high court directed the government to consider his petition as a representation and deal with the same in accordance, which was referred to AG for legal opinion
Advocate General advised that there was no merit in the claims of the petitioner, Dr Bhave
