Demand for Formation of Judicial Panel on APSC Cash-for-Job Scam

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 31: The Fight Against Injustice of APSC (FAI-APSC) on Friday reiterated their demand of constituting a judicial commission to look into the irregularities that crippled the 2013 examination of the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC).

Talking to the reporters at Guwahati Press Club on Friday, FAI-APSC editor Manash Pratim Baruah said that on March 22, 2018 the Supreme Court of India stayed the October 15, 2015 ruling of the Gauhati High Court in which the State government was directed that APSC Chairman Rakesh Paul be investigated by the CBI. Moreover, in the same ruling, the Gauhati High Court also directed the State government to constitute a ‘Judicial Commission’ to look into the irregularities that crippled the examination conducted by the APSC.

Keeping the High Court’s ruling in mind, Baruah said, “Earlier, besides the High Court’s directive, we also forwarded letter to State’s Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to materialize the High Court ruling, but of no avail. Hence, instead of realizing the directive, the chief minister has been showing off a gimmick by arresting a few officers who got the prestigious jobs by unfair means.”

The FAI-APSC editor further alleged the State government has entirely deserted the suggestions recommended by the Tapan Lal Baruah and MP Bezbaruah committees for which much awaited reformation of the APSC has become a distant dream. “As such, the State government’s indifferent attitude has been multiplying the frustration of the meritorious students of the State who have been preparing for the Commission’s examination year after year,” Baruah said.

Baruah also alleged that presently the investigation process is also confined only to the examination of the recovered answer sheets and its forensic reports. “The answer sheets of the accused APSC officers are being examined at the forensic laboratory by those officers who were appointed by the same Commission,” he said.

Meanwhile, the FAI-APSC gave an ultimatum of two weeks’ time to the State government to constitute the judicial committee which otherwise, the FAI-APSC said that they will be compelled to take resort of the Court yet again.