The State government today officially put on hold all recruitment processes in all government offices throughout the State.
A notification was issued today by the Meghalaya Personnel and Administrative Reforms (B) Department to all recruiting agencies, departments, districts and civil sub-divisions
The notification was issued to all administrative departments, Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC), Deputy Commissioners, District Selection Committees (DSCs), heads of departments, sub-divisional officers (civil), in-charges of administrative units and all Block Development Officers.
Citing the order of the Meghalaya High Court passed on April 5, the notification said, “In pursuance of the order of the Hon’ble High Court, all recruitment processes which are ongoing shall be kept in abeyance, until further orders.”
However, nothing was mentioned as to when the roster system as directed by the High Court would be implemented by the government as far as job recruitment in the State is concerned.
It may be recalled that the division bench of the High Court had on April 5 stayed all recruitments in State government departments and agencies until the government came up with a roster system by adhering to the ratio of reservation.
“No further appointments will be made until the roster system is put in place and the rosters are prepared in respect of all posts whereupon, after applying the reservation policy, future recruitment can be conducted by adhering to the ratio of reservation,” the High Court said.
“This will apply across State government agencies and instrumentalities in the State wherever the reservation policy is in vogue,” the court added
The High Court also said that it is alarming that despite 50 years of the formation of the State and 50 years of reservation in State government jobs, there is no roster system yet.
Advocate-General Amit Kumar who was present in court, acknowledged that reservation cannot be implemented without a roster and also referred to the Supreme Court constitution bench judgment reported at (1995) 2 SCC 745 (R.K. Sabharwal v. State of Punjab).
Directing the State Chief Secretary to indicate what steps have been taken when this case is taken up at the next hearing, the High Court said this aspect of the matter will be considered as a suo motu public interest litigation. The case will be heard again on April 20.
