The New Indian Express: Thiruvanathpuram: Monday, 21
July 2014.
The Chief
Minister’s office is alleged to be mounting pressure on the Health Department
to reinstate a doctor who has been terminated from service for unauthorised
absence for more than ten\ years despite the department and the Kerala State
Public Service Commission stating that it would not be in the interest of the
state or the public.
The
department in its file, which is in possession of ‘Express’ (got through
RTI), said that Dr K Sajeesh, who
hadbeen working as Assistant Professor in Medicine, Thiruvananthapuram Medical
College, was terminated from service with effect from June 1, 2003, as per an
order dated July 26, 2006.
Though the
department had in its note clearly stated that he could not be taken back
despite his repeated petitions, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in the file had
asked to reconsider the request and to reinstate him into service as junior to
the junior-most.
The
department said in the note “the request for joining service after several
years of unauthorised absence was not with a pursuit to serve the public but to
ensure pension and other retirement benefits.”
If Dr Sajeesh is reinstated in service after a long period of his being
terminated from service, the Health Department said that hundreds of doctors
who were terminated from service in the past on the same reason will come up
with the same request.
When
consulted, the PSC opined: “It will not be a right decision to take a
person who had taken leave without
allowance many times and unauthorised absence from duties, back in service
according to his time and convenience.” Despite all these, the Chief Minister’s
office has now asked to review the termination.
It is alleged that a senior doctor who has much influence in the Chief
Minister’s office was behind the move.
While working
at Medical College, Dr Sajeesh had applied for Leave Without Allowance, which
was rejected stating that general medicine was included in the scarce category.
However, he
went on leave without prior sanction of the government. Though directed to
rejoin duty, he did not comply with the directive. After his being terminated from service, he
approached the Kerala Administrative Tribunal, which had directed the Health
Department to hear him.
After Dr
Sajeesh’s requests for his reinstatement were rejected, he submitted a request
to the Chief Minister, who has now asked the department to reinstate him in
service as junior to the junior-most. In his petition, Dr Sajeesh had claimed
that he should be reinstated as was done in the case of Dr D Jairam and Mary
Zacharia who joined duty after long leave.
However, the
Health Department had noted that Dr Jairam was on deputation to the Sports
Authority of India. In the case of Dr Mary Zacharia, who was on leave, she had
joined duty two days before she was asked to report. However, Dr Sajeesh was on
leave without prior sanction.
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