New Delhi: On the issue of regulation of the service of AIIMS Director P Venugopal, who is at loggerheads with Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday objected to change his stand.
It was contended that the post of the Director does not come under the ambit of an employee and the age restriction applicable to others was not valid for him.
The court objected when the counsel for the Director, in a reply to a question, said that he was an employee of the Institute because he drew salary from it.
As quoted by PTI, a Division Bench comprising Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice H R Malhotra observed, "Earlier the counsel appearing for the Director contended that the service of the Director of the Institute is not regulated like employee and now you are saying that he is the employee of the Institute."
The Bench was hearing a batch of petitions, which were filed by the Centre and Centre of Public Interest Litigation alleging that Venugopal's appointment, made in 2003 for six years, was illegal as the Director was due for superannuation in the middle of his tenure in 2007.
The counsel of Venugopal also alleged that the Government was against him and that it was a fight between the Government and Venugopal.
Holding that the position of Head of Department and Chief of Centre were not additional posts but additional responsibilities, the counsel argued that there was nothing wrong in the Director holding the post of HOD simultaneously.
Earlier Venugopal had alleged the PIL, challenging his appointment as the head of the AIIMS, was politically motivated and appealed the Court not to entertain it.
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