Not Necessary To Gain Journalism Experience From Govt Company For Appointment As Class II Assistant Director Of Info At State's I&B Dept: Gujarat HC

The Gujarat High Court has made it clear that the Assistant Director of Information (Journalism) Class II Recruitment Rules, 2015 nowhere stipulate that Journalism experience necessarily has to be from a government organization for appointment to the post of Assistant Director of Information (Journalism) Class II."Nowhere does Recruitment Rule stipulate that it has to be in only a government or local body or a government undertaking board or the Corporation or a Company. This would amount to restrictive reading of the Rule and, therefore, it cannot be said that the respondent No.3 does not possess the requisite experience," Justice Biren Vaishnav observed.It thus dismissed a petition filed by a journalist challenging the appointment of Respondent no. 3 to the said post.The brief facts were that the Petitioner possessed a B.Com degree and diploma in journalism. He had worked as a reporter and subsequently, as a senior reporter in certain publications. He also possessed a Master's degree in journalism. Later, he was appointed as an Information Assistant Class III in the department of Information and Broadcasting of the State in 2010. In 2015, he responded to an advertisement inviting applications for the post of Assistant Director of Information (Journalism) Class II. However, the Respondent no.3 herein was declared successful. The Petitioner contested that Respondent no.3 did not possess requisite experience. It was argued that Respondent no. 3 had worked as sub-editor in a certain publication which was deblocked in 1962 which implied that the certificate was 'bad.' Further, it was submitted that Respondent no. 3 worked at two places simultaneously, which was improper.Per contra, Respondent No. 3 submitted that he had worked in the field of journalism for more than 14 years and had experience as a sub-editor, as well. Further, though he worked at two places simultaneously, the shifts did not clash and the time period therefore was not overlapping. After hearing these submissions and upon perusal of the relevant Rules, the Court observed,"Reading the Rule makes it clear that an incumbent apart from holding a post-graduate diploma in Journalism, which the respondent No.3 possessed should have about 3 years' combined experience in the Editorial work.Nowhere does Recruitment Rule stipulate that it has to be in only a government or local body or a government undertaking board or the Corporation or a Company."Hence, the petition was dismissed. Case Title: DARSHAN BIPINBHAI TRIVEDI Versus STATE OF GUJARATCase Citation: 2022 LiveLaw (Guj) 188 Click Here To Read/Download Judgment

Not Necessary To Gain Journalism Experience From Govt Company For Appointment As Class II Assistant Director Of Info At State's I&B Dept: Gujarat HC

PRIYANKA PREET

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