Chennai, Nov 9 (IANS): The Madras High Court has summoned the Puducherry PWD secretary to appear before it on Thursday to explain the process adopted with respect to public employment in the Union Territory.

The court also asked the PWD Secretary to explain the number of illegal and irregular appointments that were effected in the department.

A bench of Justice S.M. Subramanian passed the orders while hearing a writ petition on a service matter. The petitioner also mentioned that several illegal and irregular appointments were taking place in the Union territory and that this was against the Supreme Court verdict in the Umadevi case.

Justice Subramanian, in his interim order, stated that several appointments in the Union Territory appeared to have been made on the basis of favoritism, nepotism as also the whims and fancies of the authorities.

He also said that the court was concerned in not providing equal opportunity to all eligible candidates. Justice Subramanian also said that the modus operandi appeared to be getting people appointments on a temporary basis to start with and then absorb them permanently, adding that this was denying equal opportunity to eligible candidates.