Keralam DHS appointment challenged in KAT

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The post of the Director of Health Services has become contentious yet again, with Additional Director of Health Services (Planning) B. Unnikrishnan approaching the Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) that his name was not considered by the selection committee for the post even though he was otherwise qualified and eligible.

Dr. Unnikrishnan, a differently abled person with more than 40% disability, had been denied promotions to the post of Deputy Director and Additional Director in 2022, despite his representations.

With the Supreme Court intervening, the government was asked to grant him promotion as ADHS with effect from October 19, 2017. Thereafter, even though Dr. Unnikrishnan preferred representations seeking declaration of his probation in the cadre of ADHS with effect from April 19, 2018, it had not been done.

In the meanwhile, the government proceeded with the selection for the post of DHS, without considering Dr. Unnikrishnan’s eligibility to the said post.

Dr. Unnikrishnan said in his petition before KAT that his name was not considered by the selection committee solely due to the non-declaration of probation, which he said was due to the “purposeful delay and lapses” on the part of the government.

He said in his petition that he was unreasonably denied the opportunity to be considered for selection to the post of DHS, which was arbitrary and unjust.

In June, the government had courted controversy when the then DHS, K.J. Reena, was transferred to the Regional Public Health Laboratory in Ernakulam, triggering a legal battle before Dr. Meenakshy was finally appointed as DHS last month.

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