Leela Samson's resignation recall as Kalakshetra director quashed

Chennai: The High Court on Wednesday set aside an order of the Centre, allowing Leela Samson to withdraw her resignation and asking her to join duty as the director of Kalakshetra Foundation in Tiruvanmiyur. Once Leela’s resignation was accepted, there was no provision in the Kalakshetra Foundation Act to permit withdrawal of the resignation, Justice S Nagamuthu pointed out.

The judge was allowing a writ petition from Sai Sankar and 16 other employees of Kalakshetra, assailing the action of the Centre in permitting Leela to withdraw her resignation and re-appointing her in the same post. Accepting the arguments of petitioners’ senior counsel KM Vijayan, the judge observed that the resignation could not be allowed to be withdrawn as it was not permitted in law. “In such view of the matter, I have no doubt to hold that the impugned order is not sustainable,’’ the judge observed.

Appointed in February 2005, Leela attained the age of 60 years in May 2011. Noting that it was the age of super annuation and that she had not resigned yet, a public interest writ petition was filed in the HC. Notice had been ordered.

The High Court on Wednesday set aside an order of the Centre, allowing Leela Samson to withdraw her resignation.

Meanwhile, she wrote to the Centre on April 30 this year seeking to resign from the post. The resignation was accepted with effect from April 30 itself, and an in-charge director was appointed in her place. However, Leela was permitted to continue in the post of director of the Foundation.

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