Assembly secretariat appointments by-passed principal secretary

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 1: The Assembly Secretariat today seized entry passes of the 38 daily wage employees who were relieved of their duties after it came to light that they were engaged without following any appointment procedure.

Assembly secretariat Principal Secretary Mrigendra Deka today said the employees were engaged in a phased-manner. "Some were appointed one and half years back. Some were even appointed on the eve of the announcement of the model code of conduct for the assembly elections," he said. Deka said the employees were appointed on the directions of the then Speaker Prab Kumar Gogoi.

Sources said an additiol secretary of the State Assembly was instrumental in the illegal appointments. They were appointed without approval of the Fince department.

"No file came to me. I was just instructed by the Speaker to appoint them. I am compelled to abide by the Speaker's direction," Deka, the top-most official of the Assembly secretariat, said.

Present Speaker Ranjit Kumar Das is looking into the issue and sources said he may direct a probe.

The employees were paid from the Assembly secretariat's contingency fund. Each employee used to get as daily wage of Rs 140.

Currently, there are 20 daily wage staff in the secretariat.

Meanwhile, the Assembly secretariat today effected a reshuffle. A number of branches were stripped off the additiol secretary against whom there had been several allegations of irregularities.