DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 20 (MExN): Chief Secretary, Government of Nagaland Lalthara has issued a strongly worded statement pointing out that the on-going agitation by candidates selected for Graduate and Under-Graduate Teachers was “illegal” and that the matter was sub-judice.
The Chief Secretary has informed the agitators that their agitation is illegal, as the “objective is to force the State Government to do an illegal act”. It can also amount to contempt of Court, as it is a direct contravention of the Court’s stay order, the press note stated. Secondly, the act of the agitators in locking up the offices of District Education Offices and preventing the Government Officials from performing their duties amounted to a criminal offence under Section 186 of the IPC.
As such, the District Administration and the Police have been advised to enforce the rule of law, and to book the agitators for criminal offence under the IPC, as the objective and method of their agitation are illegal. The agitators are also warned that any person convicted, or being prosecuted for criminal offence under the IPC can be debarred or disqualified for Government employment.
The State government was responding to the on-going agitation by candidates selected for Graduate and Under-graduate Teachers, pressing for issue of their appointment orders by the State Government. The Chief Secretary reminded that as already made known by the School Education Department, the Gauhati High Court (Kohima bench) had issued a stay order directing the State Government not to issue any appointment order on the basis of the said recruitment, which has been challenged in the High Court, by the PSTE Association.
“Therefore, their selection for the post of teacher is not only subjudice, but the Court had issued a specific direction to the State Government not to act on this till further order from the Court”. The Chief Secretary also stated that as per information from the Additional Advocate General of Nagaland the selected candidates have collectively impleaded themselves as respondents in the pending case by making appearance through their lawyer, which further make their on-going agitation “patently illegal”. The State government has also mentioned that the Court has fixed the next date of hearing on 5th November 2012.
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