Smt. O. Chandrakala, v. The District Selection Committee Of Anganwadi Workers

THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE CHALLA KODANDA RAM WRIT PETITION No. 4311 OF 2007 O R D E R:

This Writ Petition has been filed seeking a mandamus to declare the action of Respondents 1 and 2 in selecting/appointing the 3rd respondent as Anganwadi worker for Kadathadahalli Centre, I.C.D.S. Project, Madakasira Area, Penukonda Division, Anantapur District, as illegal and arbitrary and consequently, to direct Respondents 1 and 2 to appoint the petitioner in that post. The case of the petitioner is that pursuant to the notification issued by the 1st respondent inviting applications to fill the post of Anganwadi worker for Kadathadahalli Centre, she applied for the said post and attended the interview on 27.11.2006. However, the 3rd respondent, who is a resident of Karnataka State and who does not know even to read and write Telugu, was appointed as the Anganwadi Worker. According to the petitioner, she has Intermediate qualification, whereas the 3rd respondent is SSC passed.

Therefore, the petitioner impugns the action of Respondents 1 and 2 in this Writ Petition.

The 2nd respondent I.C.D.S. Project Director filed the counter-affidavit denying the allegations of the petitioner. It has also been stated that the 3rd respondent was married to Sri D. Jagadeesh of Kadathadahalli Village and she possesses SSLC certificate. The 2nd respondent has stated that though the 3rd respondent prosecuted her studies in Karnataka State, she knows fully well Telugu language and after verifying her

credentials only, she was selected as the Anganwadi worker of the said village.

Heard Sri P. Narahari Babu, learned counsel for the petitioner and learned Government Pleader for Women Development & Child Welfare on behalf of Respondents 1 and 2. Here, in this context, it is necessary to have a glance at the eligibility criteria stipulated for appointment to the post of Anganwadi worker, which is to the following effect: 1) the candidate must be the daughter-in-law and a resident of the village concerned;

2) she should be between 21 and 45 years;

3) must have passed X class, however, if no such candidate is available, even a candidate, who failed X class, is also eligible; and 4) the candidate should be married.

A perusal of the qualifications notified discloses that there is no requirement that the candidate must have studied in Andhra Pradesh or even to have knowledge of Telugu. However, it may be noted that in boarder districts, the people speak both languages Telugu as well as Kannada. Further the 3rd respondent having been married to a person of the village, naturally, would be having knowledge of Telugu.

Be that as it may, in the absence of any such requirement in the eligibility criteria specified in the notification, the challenge made by the petitioner with regard to the appointment of the 3rd respondent as the Anganwadi Worker, cannot be sustained. In those circumstances, there is no merit in the Writ Petition and it is accordingly, dismissed. No costs.

Consequently, the miscellaneous applications, if any shall also stand dismissed.

____________________________ CHALLA KODANDA RAM, J 27th September 2016 ksld