Ernakulam: A single bench of the Kerala High Court has barred the appointment of candidates lacking MBA and BTech degrees in the post of junior manager in the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation (Supplyco) on regular or deputation basis. The directive was issued based on a petition filed by a group of Supplyco employees.

Supplyco’s common service rules for employees issued in 2021 say that candidates appointed as junior managers should possess an MBA, MCA, BTech, BE, LLB, CA-Inter, MCom or CMA from a university recognised by the UGC (University Grants Commission).

The petitioners argued before the court that even though vacancies of junior managers in Supplyco may be filled by transfer and deputation from other departments, the eligibility criteria could not be changed.

Meanwhile, a section of employees in the Kerala Civil Supplies Department demanded that the government should reveal its stand on the matter when the court considers the case next time.

The Kerala Civil Supplies Officers’ Forum pointed out that department employees in posts such as clerk, senior clerk and rationing inspector are appointed in Supplyco on deputation, taking into account their experience in food distribution, rationing and procurement. Moreover, an order was issued in 2010 reserving 1,259 posts in Supplyco for employees sent on compulsory deputation on the basis of various High Court orders.

However, in 2021, the government decided to reduce these vacancies by 10 percent every year, despite objections from employees. Consequently, employees on deputation are being denied their rightful promotions.

The Forum also alleged that many employees did not even receive transfers to convenient locations on returning to the department after deputation from Supplyco. Lack of appointments by the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) in the Civil Supplies Department for the last eight years made things worse, said the Forum.