Appointment in Panchayat & Rural Development given on Merit Basis: Subhash Dutta

Guwahati: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assam State Panelist Subhash Dutta today said that the candidates appointed in the Panchayat and Rural Development are purely based on merit.

Addressing the media persons here in Guwahati, Dutta said that there were many vacancies in the Panchayat & Rural Development department for which the examination has been conducted and the examination was held in 14 districts.

He further informed that the misconduct of the examination occurred in 18 centres and 20 mobiles have been seized from those centres but the appointment process was purely conducted on merit basis.

It has been alleged that the selection of the candidates has been done who are relatives of the ruling BJP leaders.

The results of the P&RD examination for 945 posts was published on March 5 and details of posting were out on March 6.

Dutta further stated that the results were declared after the instruction of the Gauhati High Court.

"The process of the examination was held in fair means except for the 18 centres and the results of 45 candidates in those centres have been withheld. If any of the candidates of BJP have got the appointment then it is purely on the merit basis and no leaders of BJP have appointed them as it has been alleged by some leaders of non-political organizations," Dutta added.

He further said that some political leaders have dragged the name of BJP only to blame the party and in the name of criticizing the party they have criticized the entire process of the examination. Dutta said that the examination was conducted in a transparent way.

A press statement from the Chief Ministers Office, however, stated that Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered formation of a one-man inquiry by Additional Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah to inquire into the whole episode and submit report to the government at the earliest.

Dutta further informed that 2,50, 000 candidates applied for various posts of the department out of which 1,76,000 candidates appeared in the examination and 900 candidates have cracked the exam.

Meanwhile, four alleged persons associated with the misconduct have been arrested out of which three are candidates and one examiner.

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