New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued notice in a petition challenging the Kerala High Court order that directed the counting of persons appointed under the compassionate employment scheme in various departments for Lower Division Clerk (LDC) posts in the state. A Bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and K. Vinod Chandran also directed that the present status quo be maintained in the case.

Five per cent of vacancies in each department are reserved for compassionate appointments. The High Court order had directed that those appointed beyond this limit be transferred to temporary posts to be created for this purpose. It further ordered that those in temporary posts may be regularised as and when vacancies arise. The HC directive to conduct a count was aimed at identifying whether appointments had exceeded the five per cent cap. The order was issued while considering petitions filed by candidates on the PSC rank list.

Challenging the HC’s order, those appointed under the compassionate scheme moved the Supreme Court. Those appointed under the compassionate scheme in the Revenue, Health and Education departments have approached the Supreme Court against the High Court directive. Senior advocate V. Chidambaresh, along with advocates Dheeraj Abraham and Govind Venugopal, appeared on behalf of the petitioners.

Chitambaresh argued that the High Court had issued its ruling without hearing the views of those appointed on compassionate grounds. He pointed out that transferring such employees to temporary posts would affect their seniority.

The Supreme Court's directives come at this juncture. It has directed that the existing state of affairs be maintained and issued notices to the respondents, including the state government.