Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Orders Probe Into Job Scam

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday ordered an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in appointment against permanent posts in Panchayat & Rural Development (P&RD) Department even as the Congress and the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) demanded high-level judicial inquiries into it.

Taking a suo motu cognizance of the alleged irregularities in appointment in Panchayat & Rural Development Department, the Chief Minister has ordered the formation of a one-man inquiry by Additional Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah to probe into the whole episode and submit the report to the government at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia has written to the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court justice A.S. Bopanna seeking a judicial inquiry into job anomalies in Panchayat & Rural Development Department.

Saikia, in a press communiqué on Friday, said despite several alleged irregularities such as question papers leak and use of mobile of phones for unfair practices that took place during the conduct of the written examinations to fill up permanent posts in Panchayat & Rural Development Department on May 22, 2018, the department last month released the list of eligible candidates for around 900 posts. He said a CID inquiry was ordered into the alleged irregularities in conduct of the examinations and several candidates approached the Gauhati High Court seeking justice.

Saikia alleged that relatives, close and dear ones of the ruling BJP leaders have been given jobs in Panchayat & Rural Development Department.

Demanding a judicial inquiry by an acting judge of Gauhati High Court into the alleged job scam in Panchayat & Rural Development Department, the AASU has said it is unfortunate that such development has taken place at a time when the Chief Minister is making tall claims to ensure transparency and zero tolerance against corruption.

A joint statement issued by the AASU president and general secretary Dipanko Kumar Nath and Lurinjyoti Gogoi respectively stated that many meritorious candidates must have been deprived from getting jobs in Panchayat & Rural Development Department.

The AASU has also demanded a judicial inquiry into alleged irregularities in filling up posts in the Directorate of Information & Public Relations. The students’ organization has demanded exemplary punishment to culprits behind the alleged job scams in Panchayat & Rural Development Department and DIPR.

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