For some reason, for the first time ever, the selection/recommendation and shortlisting of candidates for Board-level positions in the Central PSU Mahanadi Coalfields Limited has attracted judicial attention.

Although several newspapers on January 23 reported that Baban Singh (GM, SECL) may be appointed the next Director (Technical/P&P) of Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd, the court’s intervention appears to have made Singh’s prospects bleak.

Reportedly, the court has ordered the public-sector headhunter (PESB) that it should repeat the selection process by shortlisting S K Pal (GM, SECL), in addition to those candidates who appeared for an interview on January 22 this year. Those in the know of the affairs say that this is the first case of its kind - never heard of in the last one decade.

Further, the court has, reportedly, directed the PESB to revisit the shortlisting of candidates invited for selection interview for the post of Director (Personnel), MCL. It may be mentioned that the date of the interview is yet to be finalized. Indianmandarins has learned that on a petition filed by Iqbal Singh (GM, MCL), the court has directed the PESB to shortlist Iqbal Singh who was left despite he fulfilled the eligibility criteria for the post.