The Garo Hills unit of the FKJGP has written to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to seek an investigation into alleged anomalies in the selection of candidates for Grade IV jobs in West Garo Hills.
Calling the move the last resort, the pressure group stated that they had uncovered many anomalies in the process as well as violation of the state’s job reservation policy in the general category.
Earlier, the FKJGP had approached the district administration to get the anomalies corrected but received no response.
“There has been a violation of service rules and the appointment process needs to put on hold for all categories,” said FKJGP Garo Hills Zone president Pritam Arengh.
One of the anomalies detected, the group claimed, was that the number of selected and recommended applicants would be restricted to the number of vacancies advertised and the recommended candidates displayed on the notice board of the DSC office(s). In no case can the recommended candidates be greater than the number of posts advertised.
The pressure group found that 113 LDA candidates and 100 more Grade IV candidates were declared despite there being 51 posts for LDA and 34 posts for Grade IV vacant.
“This data shows that the Chairman and the Member Secretary (MS) have violated the service rules of the DSC and are liable for departmental proceedings,” he added.
On the issue of violating the job reservation policy, the pressure group stated that the unreserved quota of 15 percent were filled only with non-tribals.
“The guidelines seem to have been misread or misinterpreted and only general candidates have been accommodated in the unreserved category. Despite us highlighting this, nothing has been done to rectify it by the administration,” added FKJGP Garo Hills Zone general secretary Raksrang Sangma.
The NGO further alleged that the member secretary, Rezina Ch Marak (MCS) had approved certain appointments of candidates for Grade IV posts in a discreet manner. When the matter was highlighted she was immediately removed as MS but her discreet appointments have not been reversed.
The FKJGP further added that there were allegations of nepotism and bribery which the group had been unable to address due to the lack of transparency in the DSC.
Stating that their allegations were with merit, the pressure group sought the appointment process be immediately halted and an investigation into the matter be taken up immediately.
