| LA Sectt insulated to Guv's directions? | | Ignores 'enquiry' call into backdoor appointments, other irregularities | | early times report
Jammu, Feb 18: In a House where the legislator's take pride in terming it as highest temple of democracy and from where the cries over irregularities on any front of governance echo loudly almost every day, political parties cutting across party lines, it seems have adopted a uniform strategy in not questioning scores of candidates who have been appointed allegedly through backdoor during the last couple of years in Legislative Assembly. Throwing norms and rules to winds, while most of the persons have 'adjusted' and accommodated following the 'mantra' of nepotism, few have been given promotions out of the way, pushing behind seniors and deserving lot. In what appears to be members of the House also having 'endorsement', the irony of the fact is that no one during any session convened so far have questioned this, not to speak of raising clamor as they often do it for other departments.
An RTI enquiry has revealed that scores of people against various posts have been absorbed in the Legislative Assembly during the existing NC led coalition government's dispensation in a gradual yet implicit manner and no whimper has been seen from any quarter. The sole object of the authorities at the helm in doing so was either to oblige political bosses(beneficiaries being politically well connected) or to fulfil their own interests in many ways. Surprisingly, the enquiry sought to be initiated into reports of such matters by the Governor which reached up to Governor's House over a year back has not moved an inch beyond a letter of communication from the Law Department.
Most appalling part of the story is that in order to keep such matters under wraps of carpet, even though complaints came to fore and matters became explicit, one officer in the Assembly Secretariat who was made PIO served his bosses with loyalty to hilt in not honouring the RTI applications well in time and instead delaying them deliberately. He was, however, 'rewarded' by appointing his daughter as watch and ward staff(class IV category) also through backdoor channel, said the report. Even though the matter of RTI applications not being honored resulted in reprimands from the SIC, this too served as no deterrence for the authorities at the helm, said the activist.
The aberrations were not confined only to employ people through backdoor but also in giving out of the way benefits some blue eyed. In one such case , sources said the authorities went on to extent of seeking age relaxation for adjusting the brother of one staff member who were said to be economically sound. As the matter pertained to age relaxation , its clearance from GAD and Law department was mandatory . Both the departments refused sanction and despite this he was appointed , no matter against a post of Class IV category. Pertinently, it is only Chief Minister who is authorized to grant relaxation in age , that in rarest of rare cases on the ground of poor economic conditions.
That nepotism rules roost in Legislative Assembly Secretariat can be gauged from one more similar case in which a female was taken on board after her sister quit the job for some personal reasons. There is also one case of two siblings (real brother and sister) having been appointed as staff on unknown and unspecified considerations. Out of the way favours, as per the details in RTI enquiry also reveal that one of females who was employed as watch and ward staff two years back against class IV post was promoted within no time as interestingly, a good number of beneficiaries in all such cases of irregularities include women, said the RTI activist adding that menace that has mowed down the prospects of jobs to eligible and deserving candidates.
Against the backdrop of such detailed cases provided by the RTI activist, the big question remains why not even directions from Rajbhawan have been paid heed till date and why authorities at the helm conveniently chose to ignore repeated reminders from the then Law Secretary GH Tantray who , acting swiftly upon the communication from Governor's House had sought enquiry to be initiated into cases of backdoor appointments as also in other matters…? |
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