September 13, 2008	Saturday	Ramazan 12, 1429

HYDERABAD, Sept 12: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, on Friday issued notices to the Sindh secretary education and the DCO and EDO (education) of Umerkot on a petition filed by 212 candidates for the post of primary school teacher, for September 25.

The job seekers have stated in their petition that in April 2007 the government invited applications through newspapers for PST for which they applied.

They said that IBA, Sukkur, was asked to conduct written test for the job throughout province and authorised to pass candidates, who secured 40 per cent and above marks in test. They said that they appeared in job tests and qualified it by obtaining passing marks.

They said that secretary constituted departmental recruitment committee, consisting of Chairman, EDO, District Officer (elementary), a nominee of secretary education, prominent retired educationist of Umerkot district. They said that committee selected them.

They said that the secretary issued offer letters to them and they were asked to obtain fitness certificate from civil surgeon and character certificate from DPO. They said that they couldn’t obtain and furnish these documents as general elections were announced. They said that as per general order dated November 20,2007 by Election Commission, ban on bulk transfers till holding of elections was imposed and respondents stayed further proceedings on offer letters.

They said that they approached respondents before and after elections but were kept on hopes and assured that they would be called to furnish documents.

They said that on July 18, 2008 secretary education relaxed ban on appointment of PSTs and declared that candidates, who secured 60 per cent and above qualifying marks in written test conducted by IBA Sukkur would be provided jobs.

They said that in pursuance of above orders EDO issued similar offer letters to those candidates, who secured 60 per cent and above qualifying marks.

They pleaded that IBA Sukkur had been authorised by secretary to pass candidates, who get 40 per cent marks and above in test, had declared petitioners successful thus act of respondent of not posting them is illegal and void.

They said that eligibility criteria was fixed at 40 per cent and above marks by respondent and test was conducted on said basis. He described act of secretary education of issuing fresh offer letters to candidates, who secured 60 per cent and above marks is malafide, discriminatory and liable to be set aside.

They said that even if all candidates who are issued offer letters are posted still 500 posts of PST would remain vacant. He said that posts of PSTs are lying vacant since 4 to 5 years and education department had suffered badly. They prayed the court to declare that act of withholding of posting orders of petitioners by respondents is illegal and malafide. They pleaded the court to direct respondents to issue their posting orders.