ANTAG protestors who began their indefinite hunger strike in Kohima on June 29. (Morung Photo)
Government cites court order as reason for non action on post regularisation
DIMAPUR, JUNE 29 (MExN): Even as the All Nagaland Ad-Hoc Teacher’s Group (ANATG) began its hunger strike today, the government stated that it is unable to regularize the services of the teachers due to writ petition filed by the ACAUT Nagaland and the Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) against alleged backdoor/illegal appointment of 706 posts in 35 state departments.
In a DIPR report, Advisor, School Education, K. Tokugha Sukhalu stated that “there is no ambiguity in the government’s decision to regularize the services of ad-hoc/contract employees who have successfully cleared the Suitability Test.”
He informed that the government had constituted a committee to conduct suitability test with minimum qualifying years set at 3 (three) years of service as on December 31, 2015.
The test was conducted on May 20 and 23, 2017, in which ad-hoc employees appointed between 2009 and 2015, including absentees and failed candidates in the previous tests were also allowed to appear. The Screening Committee thereafter recommended regularization of 1166 adhoc/contract employees on October 13, 2017.
However as a result of the writ petition filed by the ACAUT and PSAN, the Gauhati High Court passed an interim order stating that the respondents (Nagaland State Government) “are restrained from regularizing any contract appointments.”
The government informed that in view of this, the State Cabinet deferred taking decision. Subsequently, the P&AR Department on March 6, 2018 notified that no proposals for regularization of contract/adhoc appointment should be sent to P&AR, till the case is resolved. Sukhalu added that on receipt of ANATG representation, the matter was endorsed to P&AR on April 10, 2018 for further examination. The department however stuck to its earlier stand.
He informed that the department meanwhile on May 16 sought the legal opinion of the Sr. Additional Advocate General, who made clear that modifying the interim order cannot be taken up until the writ petition is disposed of. Sukhalu said that the department also sought views from the Justice Department and Finance Department; and informed the ANATG that the department is restrained from enforcing the Office Memorandums in view of the court’s order.
“It is unfortunate that while the Government is fully sensitized to the problems faced by Government School teachers, they have been resorting to such agitations. It appears that the extremely poor results of Government Schools, where members of ANATG have been teaching, are furthest from their minds,” the government stated through the DIPR.
Sukhalu said the government would not hesitate to take action against those who agitate on “non-issues” and made a “final appeal to the agitating teachers in the interest of all concerned.”
