Conduct recruitments at the earliest, directs Kohima Bench disposing PIL
Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 9
The Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), after constant prodding and directions from the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court (GHC), is finally ready to ‘function now.’
As per an order issued by the Division Bench of Justice Songkhupchung Serto and Justice Nelson Sailo on May 9, the State Government submitted to the Court that even the office building for the Board has been allotted.
Commenting on the latest affidavit filed by the Under Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR), the Bench also observed that “sufficient number of functionaries of the board have been appointed and some are on the way to joining the post either through deputation or re-deployment.”
The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Joel Naga and Khikhro Kreo through their counsel Neiteo Koza seeking direction to the State Government, represented by the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary, P&AR, to make the NSSB, “constituted for recruitment of Group-C posts in the State of Nagaland functional within a month, so that recruitment to all Group-C posts in the Government of Nagaland can be conducted by it in a transparent manner.” The PIL was initially filed on August 31, 2021.
Regular prodding
Over the course of hearings since then, the Kohima Bench has been issuing regular directives to the State Government for compliance, thereby accelerating the constitution of the Board in a way.
Notably on February 2, 2022, the Bench told that Additional Advocate General (AG) representing the State Government to come up with specific instructions as to when the NSSB “would be constituted,” adding that it would be “compelled to issue necessary order or direction for constituting the Board within a specified period of time.”
Accordingly on February 16, placed before the Bench were two orders issued by the State Chief Secretary dated February 14 appointing Sedevikho Khro as Chaiman of NSSB and Er Ghukhui Zhimomi as member of the Board.
The Bench, thereafter, gave direction to the State Government to “provide the required infrastructure and the ministerial staff” for the Board at the earliest. It was informed of (re) deployment of staff from other departments for the Board in later hearings.
Besides, over the course of hearings, the Bench has stayed advertisements for posts, which were deemed to be under the purview of the Board.
Accordingly, in the May 9 order, the Bench observed that “ever since the petition was filed, in compliance of the directions given we have seen step by step developments towards making the board functional,” the Bench noted.
The Senior Additional Advocate General, CT Jamir, appearing for the State Government on Monday also urged the Bench to dispose off of the PIL as “all the requirements for making the board functional has been complied with.”
With counsel for the petitioners, Koza agreed with the submission, and the Bench disposed off the PIL stating: “Since everything is in place the board shall start functioning and conduct recruitments at the earliest as people of the State have been eagerly waiting for so long.”
