Chennai,  The Madras High Court on Friday stayed the appointment of former Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan as an expert member of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The stay order was passed following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the NGO Poovulagin Nanbargal challenging the appointment.

The bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthil Ramamoorthy, while passing the order said: "We are not happy at the qualifications of the person who has been appointed as a member of the tribunal".

According to the petitioner, according to the NGT Act a minimum experience of 15 years, including 5 years, in dealing with environmental matters is required for the post. The NGO alleged that Vaidyanathan does not have five years of experience in handling the environmental-related matters at the state or national level, according to her biodata present in the ministry website.

The petitioner said, "Section 5(2) b of the NGT act says that a person shall not be qualified for appointment as an expert member unless they have administrative experience of 15 years with a minimum of five years of experience in dealing with environmental matters in state or central government or an institution of repute at the state or national level."

The NGO has sought the court's intervention into the matter and requested to quash the appointment of Vaidyanathan as an expert member of the NGT.