Raj Bhavan under scanner over letter to MHA, allegation of illegal appointment

[ Bengia Ajum ]

ITANAGAR, 10 Nov: A letter sent by the Raj Bhavan here to the ministry of home affairs (MHA), seeking “a panel of officers for selection as ADC to the governor on deputation” has come under scanner over its content.

On 14 November, 2018, the then commissioner to governor, M Surya Prakash, wrote a letter to the MHA joint secretary, seeking a “panel of officers for selection as ADC to the governor on deputation,” and making it clear that the panel of officers should not be from Arunachal Pradesh. This is being seen as hurting the sentiments of the indigenous communities of the state.

“In this connection, kindly find enclosed herewith a letter written to the director general, BSF, on the above subject. Subsequent to my discussions with him, this office was in receipt of a panel consisting of only 2 officers from BSF, and it was requested by this office, under the directions of His Excellency, Governor to seek a panel of 3 officers and to ensure that officers in the panel do not hail from the state of Arunachal Pradesh,” the letter read.

Questions have also been raised over the selection of the protocol assistant, a Group B (non-gazzetted) post, in the Raj Bhavan. The state government had, through a notification (No AR-148/2016, dated 4 July, 2017), entrusted the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) with the responsibility of conducting examinations for recruitment to all Group A, B, and B (non-gazetted) posts.

In this case, instead of entrusting the job to the APPSC, the governor’s secretariat entrusted Rajiv Gandhi University with the task of conducting a written examination, in violation of the state government’s existing policy.

While conducting recruitment, the governor’s secretariat also allegedly changed the recruitment rules (RR) framed by the AR department. In the RR submitted by the AR department, a candidate has to pass written examinations in general English (100 marks), general knowledge (100 marks), elementary mathematics (100 marks), and viva voce (40 marks). But in the circular seeking applications for the post of the protocol assistant, elementary mathematics was removed and replaced by shorthand knowledge and speed. Even the viva voce marks were increased from 40 to 100 marks.

Two candidates who appeared for the exams – Sant Pun and Salien Paul – also reportedly failed to submit any certificate of course completion in shorthand. Pun, who got selected as the protocol assistant, did his schooling in Nepal, and BA from the IGNOU, and was working as a peon at the Arunachal Bhavan in Delhi, looking after the governor’s camp office. In his biodata, he did not mention anything about qualification in shorthand.

Also, under the RR, any person with a minimum experience of five years’ regular service in the central or the state government was one of the requirements for eligibility for the post, but in the circular issued, applications were invited only from the employees of the governor’s secretariat, with a minimum of five years’ experience.

The governor’s secretariat proposed the creation of a protocol assistant’s post, with a condition to keep in abeyance one existing post in the governor’s secretariat to avoid financial burden to the state exchequer. Based on this condition, the AR department recommended approval of the state cabinet, and accordingly, it was approved.

But the appointment of Pun to the post of protocol assistant superseded the earlier order, and one Dutta Mondal was appointed to the post vacated by Pun – a post which was supposed to be kept frozen as per the proposal for the creation of said post.

The Save Arunachal Movement (SAM) has alleged that “rampant misuse of power and provision given to the governor’s secretariat of Arunachal Pradesh is happening in the appointment of the staff.”

“Unemployment rate of the state is rising day by day and youths of the state are fighting for mere contractual jobs. The governor’s secretariat is creating regular jobs and appointments are made in pick and choose manner, without proper advertisement and without following any recruitment policy,” alleged SAM secretary-general Tami Pangu.

He also claimed that he has “all evidence of wrongdoing by the Raj Bhavan,” and said that he would knock the court’s door if the authorities do not act against the illegal appointment made by the Raj Bhavan.

“There have been irregularities in the selection of peon, videographer, and upgradation of PPS to OSD,” he added.

The secretary to the governor was contacted, but he did not respond to this daily’s queries.