Telangana power wing told to allow non-Telangana students in job drive

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court has directed the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TSSPDCL) and teh Telangana State Transmission Company to permit the non-Telangana students to apply for the direct recruitment for the posts of assistant engineers and junior accounts officers in both the power entities.

A division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice K. Vijaya Lakshmi was dealing with two petitions by G. Pavani and Ch. Nikhil Kumar challenging the amendment made by the TSSPDCL and TS Transco wherein all the posts in the entire state were reserved to be filled up only by persons of Telangana origin.

Dr K. Lakshmi Narasimha, counsel for the petitioners contended that both the power entities have no power to made the nativity as sole criteria for being considered for appointment and such power was vested only with the President of India.

He submitted sub clause (2) of Article 16 of the Constitution mandates that no citizen shall, on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex descent, place of birth, residence or any of them, be ineligible for, or discriminated against in respect of, any employment or office under the state.

While considering the argument, the bench directed both power entities to permit the petitioners to participate in the entire selection process.