P.B.Suresh Kumar, J.
The Senior Deputy Director in charge of the Joint Director of Local Fund Audit has filed a representation before the Hon'ble Ombudsman for Travancore Devaswom Board stating that 12 additional posts were sanctioned in the office of the Joint Director of Local Fund Audit, Travancore Devaswom Board, temporarily on 8.4.1997 for a period of six months and the said posts were being continued till 31.7.2013. It was alleged that the Government have declined to order continuance of the said posts on the ground that the additional posts are required to be adjusted against the 180 new posts sanctioned by the State Government. According to the Senior Deputy Director of Local Fund Audit, no officer was allotted to the Audit Section of the Travancore Devaswom Board from the 180 new posts sanctioned by the Government and over the years, the work of the Local Fund Audit has only increased and even the existing staff is found to be insufficient for auditing the accounts of the various institutions. According to him, unless the Government passes orders for continuance of the said 12 posts as done earlier, it will not be DBP No.36/2014 2 possible to conduct the audit of the temples, offices and the Devaswom Board satisfactorily.
2. As per the order dated 7.4.2014, this Court directed the Secretary to Government (Finance) to file an affidavit in the matter and pursuant to the said direction, an affidavit has been filed by the Secretary to Government (Finance). In the affidavit it is stated that 12 posts sanctioned, as referred to in the representation of the Senior Deputy Director, were being continued from time to time and as per G.O.(Rt) No.7942/2014 Fin. dated 20.10.2014, sanction was accorded to continue the said posts up to 31.7.2015.
In the light of the affidavit filed by the Secretary to Government (Finance), the grievance highlighted in the representation referred to above stands redressed and this petition is accordingly closed, leaving open the issue as to the requirement of additional posts highlighted in the representation.
P.N.RAVINDRAN, (JUDGE) vps P.B.SURESH KUMAR, (JUDGE)