The Madras High Court has cancelled the appointment of 54 junior assistants recruited through direct selection at the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation in 2021, during the AIADMK government when S.P. Velumani was the Minister for Municipal Administration.
According to the case details, the corporation had 103 vacancies for junior assistants at the time. Of these, 34 posts were filled by promoting eligible staff based on seniority from categories such as sanitation supervisors, drivers and record clerks, while the remaining 69 posts were proposed to be filled through direct recruitment.
A total of 654 candidates applied, and interviews were held on February 8, 2021. While 440 candidates attended and 214 were absent, an officials’ committee comprising assistant commissioners verified certificates. The selection committee reportedly met the same day, finalised the list that night, prepared appointment orders for 54 candidates and issued them the next day.
Employees who were expecting promotions argued that promotions should be completed first and that remaining vacancies should be filled through the employment exchange, but the corporation administration did not accept this. Some staff approached the High Court, which ordered the cancellation of the 54 appointments.
The court also directed the Tamil Nadu government to initiate departmental action against officials who were complicit in the irregular recruitment and to conduct a proper selection process to fill vacancies transparently with eligible candidates.
