The Supreme Court of India has taken a strict stance on the issue of illegal appointments of polytechnic lecturers in Puducherry. The court has directed the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to conduct a thorough investigation and identify those responsible for the irregular appointments. This order was issued under Article 142 of the Constitution, which grants the court special powers to ensure complete justice.
The case pertains to 18 ad hoc lecturers at Motilal Nehru Government Polytechnic College, Puducherry, whose appointments were not made through a proper selection process. Among them, three lecturers (Respondents 1 to 3) had approached the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), seeking regularization of their services.
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The CAT ruled in their favor, and its decision was later upheld by the Madras High Court. However, the Union of India and the Directorate of Technical and Higher Education, Government of Puducherry challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court.
The bench, comprising Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan, expressed deep concern over the poor state of governance in Puducherry. The court observed that:
"Out of 51 sanctioned posts of lecturers in the Polytechnic College, 45 are occupied by ad hoc appointees."
To rectify this, the Supreme Court ordered the regularization of all 18 lecturers (15 + 3 respondents) without UPSC involvement.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) had refused to regularize these appointments, arguing that it could not be a party to illegal recruitments. However, the Supreme Court dismissed UPSC’s stance, stating:
"Audacious indeed, considering that an order of this Court is subsisting till date."
The court further pointed out that UPSC had previously regularized ad hoc lecturers in other institutions in Puducherry, making its opposition in this case illogical and biased.
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The Supreme Court also directed the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to investigate the large-scale illegal appointments and fix responsibility on those involved, whether currently in office or retired.
The court emphasized:
"In public employment, the government must appoint the best available talent through proper advertisements and selection processes. The manner in which ad hoc lecturers were appointed even after the 2006 Rules were introduced warrants an in-depth inquiry."
The CVC has been directed to submit its report to the Supreme Court by May 14, 2025.
