Delhi HC rejects PIL against appointment of MP-IDSA chief

The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected a plea against Sujan R. Chinoy's appointment as the Director General of Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in January 2019.

Delhi HC rejects PIL against appointment of MP-IDSA chief
Source: IANS

New Delhi, March 3 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Friday rejected a plea against Sujan R. Chinoy's appointment as the Director General of Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in January 2019.

A division bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Subramonium Prasad was hearing lawyer petitioner Subhash Chandran K.R.'s Public Interest Litigation (PIL) contending that it concerns a prominent post in defence for which no advertisement was published.

The bench said that since it relates to a service matter, it cannot be maintained and no case for interference can be made out.

"In the considered opinion of this court, as the present PIL is in relation to a service matter, no case is made out for interference in the matter. Admission is declined," it said.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta has said that this appointment is made by a committee consisting of the Cabinet Secretary, the Defence Secretary, and two persons of eminence and the "petitioner has no connection. He is a stranger".

Noting that there is no advertisement for a lot of high offices, the bench dismissed the PIL.

The PIL claimed that the institute did not obey to the rules for a public appointment which was "an act of lawlessness cutting at the very root of the strict mandate of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution".