In Panaji, the high court of Bombay at Goa has directed government authorities to promptly begin the process of promoting a principal at Shree Ganesh Higher Secondary School, Ganeshpuri-Mapusa to a permanent position, emphasizing that an interim appointment cannot continue indefinitely. The court instructed the relevant parties to convene a departmental promotion committee and complete the process of regular promotions within two months. The vacancy arose after the former principal retired on July 31. The court recommended Shilpa Pai Panandikar be appointed as the interim principal based on seniority, and urged the school management to make a decision within ten days. This direction came as a response to a petition from Shilpa challenging the appointment of Sandeep V Palni as the interim principal. The court stressed the importance of respecting seniority even in interim appointments, noting that unless there are specific issues with the teacher, the most senior teacher should be given the interim principal position. The court rejected the argument that Palni should hold the position due to his background in science, stating that seniority should take precedence.The importance of considering seniority when assigning officiating duties, especially for the role of principal, was emphasized by the court. Shilpa, who was seeking the officiating charge of principal, took legal action with the guidance of her advocate, senior counsel S D Lotlikar. The High Court noted that rule 86 of the Goa Education Rules 1986 requires vacancies for the principal position in a higher secondary school to be filled through promotion. Managements should prioritize selecting the most senior teacher for these positions.