Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the Mapusa-based higher secondary school to fill vacancy of principal within next two months and to give charge of officiating principal to the senior most teacher within 10 days from the date of order.
Shilpa Pai Panandikar had filed a writ petition challenging the decision of the management of Shree Ganesh Higher Secondary School, Mapusa, giving the charge of officiating principal to Sandeep V Palni.
The petitioner had claimed that she being senior to Palni, ought to have been given the charge of the acting principal. She had also prayed that the Departmental Promotional Committee (DPC) be directed to consider the promotion to the post of principal of Shree Ganesh Higher Secondary School.
The counsel representing the school management submitted that the charge of officiating principal; was made considering the fact that in the school science subjects had been introduced for the first time and teaching in these subjects was in the nascent stage. Thus Palani was given the charge of officiating principal since he had the educational background in science.
But the division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice M S Karnik opined that the management’s decision was not sustainable as in case of regular promotion such a precondition was not applicable and this it was the seniority which had to be given due weightage for giving officiating charge as well.