Stink Operation!

KAS officer hired TV channel cameraman to trap ARTO

CDs of STA official, RTO Jammu, ARTO Ramban, ARTO Rajouri also “under process”

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 11: Inquiry into allegations of corruption against the suspended Assistant Regional Transport Officer (ARTO) Doda-Kishtwar is likely to unravel official-media nexus to grab “prize positions” through unclean practices. Even as the investigation, ordered by Minister of Transport Qamar Ali Akhoon, on the direction of Speaker Mohammad Akbar Lone, is still underway, a middle rung official in Transport Commissioner’s office has been found to have engaged the cameraperson of a national television channel for the “sting operation”. However, the purpose appears to be blackmailing and settling personal scores, rather than exposing corruption in government offices.

BJP MLA from Basohli, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, had waved cash worth Rs 20,000 and a CD on the floor of Legislative Assembly on March 9^th to substantiate his allegation that fitness certificates to old commercial vehicles were being issued in Doda district against payment of bribes. He emphasized that death of over 700 commuters in a large number of road accidents in Doda-Kishtwar area was the result of operation of old commercial vehicles. On the MLA’s insistence, Speaker asked Minister incharge Transport to order an inquiry and take necessary action if any of his subordinate officials was found guilty. According to the MLA, the CD presented to Speaker contained audio-visual evidence of money changing the hands.

Minister Akhoon promptly placed ARTO Doda-Kishtwar, Bipan Singh Charak, under suspension and directed RTO Jammu, Virendar Slathia, to conduct an inquiry into the allegations of corruption and submit a report to the Government.

Early Times today learned from well-placed sources that prima facie findings of the inquiry were more sensational than the allegations leveled in the Assembly. During questioning of witnesses, it has surfaced that the character, who made the CD and passed on Rs 20,000 to the MLA, has, in fact, concealed and retained the first installment of Rs 30,000. The Jammu-based cameraperson, working for a national television news channel, has been found to have conducted the “sting operation” against cash payment for an officer of Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) posted in the office of Transport Commissioner.

Enquiries revealed that the middle-rung KAS officer, had been relieved of his assignment as Member-Secretary of J&K State Transport Authority (STA) some time back on serious complaints of corruption. It was alleged that the official had been charging bribe money of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 from each of 100-odd applicants every day. His assignment was given to Joint Transport Commissioner, Sheikh Fayaz Ahmed. Trapping the new Member-Secretary of STA, as also the relieved official’s opponents---RTO Jammu, ARTO Doda, ARTO Ramban, ARTO Rajouri---has emerged as the only motive of the “sting operation”. The KAS officer hired the services of the television cameraman who was “famous” in Jammu for carrying out such operations with the help of his spy camera.

Interestingly, the Inquiry Officer himself (RTO Jammu Virender Slathia) has landed in an unenviable position as officials of his own office have been captured on the spy camera while allegedly demanding and accepting bribes for fraudulently passing condemned commercial vehicles. The cameraman is understood to have made similar CDs on the practices of corruption in the offices of ARTOs of Ramban and Rajouri.

ARTO Doda, Charak has been trapped for his act of referring a matter against the KAS officer to the State Vigilance Organisation (SVO). Even as SVO had almost completed the investigation against the KAS officer, entire records disappeared in mysterious circumstances. Inquiry Officer, Inspector Nisar Hussain Shah, was placed under suspension for “carelessness”.

Interestingly, none of these CDs has been passed on to Speaker through the BJP MLA. Investigators are looking into complaints according to which the KAS officer and his hired cameraman were “blackmailing” the Transport officials and threatening them that their CDs would also be presented in the Assembly in the next few days. The KAS officer’s prime target appears to be the Joint Transport Commissioner and son of a National Conference MLC, whose removal could mean the KAS officer’s fresh posting as Member-Secretary STA.

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Honoured by PM, insulted by PSC !

Gold medalists Muzamil and Aatish were dropped by PSC to pick up tail-enders

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, Mar 4: Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh awarded them gold medals for securing the first position and wished them “a bright future” but the B V Sc toppers of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology Jammu (SKUAST-J)---Dr Muzamil Maqbool Baig and Dr Aatish Raina---were not found fit by J&K Public Service Commission (PSC) for the ordinary post of a Veterinary Assistant Surgeon.

While as Muzamil ranked at serial number 3 of the academic merit list among the candidates interviewed in Srinagar, Raina stood at No: 2 of the merit list among those examined at Jammu. When PSC’s selection list came out formally on February 17^th, both found themselves dropped. Their veritable surprise came in the fact that the selectors had hand-picked even the poor-merit candidates who figured at Serial No: 136 and 133 of the merit list.

On occasion of the 3^rd annual convocation of SKUAST-J, that came after three years today, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah handed over gold medals, degrees and citations to 332 students of the university. They included 23 Ph D scholars. Six of the highest merit students at the degree level---three each in Agriculture Science and Veterinary Science---received gold medals from the chief guest of the convocation and the Prime Minister for securing first position in B Sc Agriculture and B V Sc in the batches of 2008, 2009 and 2010.

In the Veterinary Science discipline, Dr Muzamil, Dr Raina and Dr Nandini Salaria were awarded gold medals for being toppers of the batches 2008, 2009 and 2010 respectively.

While the girl from Kathua, Nandini, is now pursuing her post-graduation at the prestigious National Dairy Research Institute of India (NDRI), Karnal, her seniors, Muzamil and Raina, had nourished sweet dreams of serving as Veterinary Surgeons in their home state while pursuing higher studies in Veterinary Sciences and participating in other competitive examinations.

Exceptionally meritorious, Muzamil, the boy from Dreygam village of Budgam, passed B V Sc with 83% marks in 2008 and M V Sc with 84.5% marks in 2010. Last year, he also qualified National Eligibility Test (NET) of the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) with high marks. He also participated in the highest prestigious competitive KAS examination. He was among 35 Veterinary Science graduates and post-graduates who were declared as selected by the PSC on February 7^th. All 35, including Dr Muzamil, found themselves dropped when results for selection of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons were declared by the same PSC on February 17^th. Out of top 50 in the merit list, only 9 were selected. All others were picked up from those who figured far beyond 50 and 100.

There was one particular difference in conducting the two selections. Less than 15% marks stood reserved for interview for the KAS that was conducted jointly by all members of PSC, including the Chairman. In the case of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons’ selection, only 30 out of 100 marks were reserved for academic merit. There were 5 marks for M V Sc/ Ph D and 5 each for NCC, “experience” and “publications”. As many as 50 marks stood reserved for interview, conducted by two members of PSC and one “expert”. Marking was made with pencils (perhaps for subsequent adjustment) and the process went on without preserving any audio-visual proof of the candidates’ performance.

PSC has justified the selection with the argument that it was an autonomous body, having its own constitution and the process was conducted as per Rule 51 of Business and Procedure Rules that reduces the marks of academic merit (essential qualification level) to 30 but raises the marks of viva to 50.

“The performance of the candidates in the interview varies and on the basis of overall assessment, the selection is made. It is therefore but natural that a candidate with a relatively higher academic merit may not make it to the final selection”, PSC argued in a press release in defence of the selection on February 23^rd. What it conveyed to the Prime Ministers’ gold medallists was that no IAS toppers like Dr Shah Faisal could essentially pass PSC’s selection of assistant surgeons in J&K.

“I am obviously relieved with my selection in KAS and today’s gold medal from Prime Minister but I have a huge sense of loss”, Dr Muzamil told early Times. “Inspite of very high merit, I was not selected (as veterinary surgeon) even last year. Two shocks in two years came to me and my parents who thought that a first position at B V Sc and a gold medal were passport to a bright future. My heart is heavy for my successors like Aatish Raina, Sonalika Mahajan (who also got 83.3% with Raina) and now Nandini Salaria who may not be lucky enough to qualify KAS”, Muzamil added. According to him, something “very serious and very urgent” needed to be done to restore faith of high-merit candidates in the selection process.

Son of an elderly farmer of Ranbir Singhpura, namely Jasmit Singh, who earned his living out of working as a private driver until he lost stamina, Aatish Raina also passed an all-India competitive examination among over 10,000 candidates with 3rd highest rank in merit in the country and was subsequently admitted for M V Sc in Animal Genetics and Breeding at the prestigious National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Bareily. This Prime Minister’s gold medallist said that he was “already prepared for the shock PSC gave to him and his family”.

“With the selection list on February 17^th, we had completely loss faith in all of our systems. Now, we feel a ray of hope as Early Times has exposed what had become a routine at PSC for the last several years”, Raina told this newspaper. He said that the gold medal he received would only intensify the pain of his wounds. “We are far more shocked over the fact that tail-enders, who had ordinary B V Sc degrees and figured beyond 130 in the merit list were selected by the PSC”, Raina added. “Everybody was 100 percent sure of my selection. Now everybody has lost 100 percent faith in PSC”, he said.

SKUAST-J’s batch-2010 topper in B V Sc, Nandini Salaria, seems a little bolder. Financial stability at home may be a reason. Nandini’s father is an accountant in Civil Defence and mother is an employee in the state Agriculture Department. Her brother is a trainee pilot with Indian Air Force after passing a tough competition at National Defence Academy.

“While participating in all competitions in J&K, we are ready for such worst injustices. There is rampant corruption and most of the institutions, including media, are defunct. Isn’t it a sad statement that all newspapers, except Early Times, and all television channels are completely silent over the injustice done to high-merit veterinary graduates and post-graduates?”, asked she. “I have plans of higher studies but would also participate in the PSC selections---of course bearing in mind that I could be sacrificed for a tail-ender like many of my top merit seniors”.

END

Three Rajas in PM’s SKUAST-J procession

Vigilance seeks their prosecution; Registrar puts them to honour Singh, Omar

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

JAMMU, March 3: Within a small domain, three academics are known as A Rajas of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology Jammu (SKUAST-J) on account of their alleged involvement in corruption, malpractices and financial bunglings spearheaded by a former Vice Chancellor. Even as Governor N N Vohra ordered a thorough investigation and two major organs of the state government---Department of Finance and State Vigilance Organisation---held them guilty and sought their prosecution, all the three would be following Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the ceremonial academic procession at the university’s annual convocation here on Friday.

Highly placed sources in SVO revealed to Early Times that permission for prosecution of 17 officials of SKUAST-J was awaited from Vice Chancellor Dr B Mishra. Those found guilty in the financial irregularities and corrupt practices, spearheaded by former VC Nagendar Sharma, during his tenure in 2005-08, include three senior Professors of the University, namely Dr A K Srivastava, Dr M R Bhagat and Dr Karnail Singh Rissam. All the three academics have been included in the Academic Procession that would be following Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as well as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the SKUAST-J convocation on Friday.

Prime Minister has been invited as chief guest to present gold medals and degrees to fresh graduates and post-graduates of the university. Governor Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would be attending the function, particularly the academic procession, as Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor of SKUAST-J respectively. Vice Chancellor, Registrar, all members of the University Council, all members of the Academic Council and Board of Management would be among two dozen-odd dignitaries to form the Academic Procession in their ceremonial robes.

The same procession includes SKUAST-J’s former Director Resident Instruction Dr A K Srivastava. Appointed as Director National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, in 2008, Dr Srivastava would be attending the Convocation as the representative of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) in SKUAST-J’s Board of Management. He is also holding lien of five years with SKUAST-J. While as Dr M R Bhagat would be in the PM’s procession as the university’s  Director Resident Instruction, Dr Karnail Singh Rissam stands invited as Director Extension. SKUAST-J officials confirmed that all the three had been invited and would be among participants of the Academic Procession.

Responding to serious allegations of corruption, favouritism and other malpractices against former VC, Dr Nagendar Sharma, Governor Vohra had ordered a high level inquiry in 2008. Then Financial Commissioner Agriculture Production, S L Bhat, was appointed by Governor as incharge VC of SKUAST-J. Well before the appointment of Dr B Mishra as the full-time VC, Commissioner-Secretary Finance in Omar Abdullah Government, Sudhanshu Pandey, directed Wali Mohammad, then Director Audit and Inspection and now Director General of Accounts and Treasuries, to conduct a focused investigation into the serious charges against the former VC and his coterie of officials.

Dr Nagendra Sharma, who superannuated at the age of 65 years in September 2008, when he had completed just three years of his tenure, faced the allegations of having recruited faculty and other staff on the basis of corruption, favoutism and nepotism. He also faced charges of malpractices in placing supply orders and work contracts, threreby raising a cumulative liability of over Rs 40 Cr, still unsettled.

Following submission of Finance Department’s inquiry report, Chancellor-Governor Vohra desired a thorough investigation by SVO. During the course of a detailed investigation, SVO found as many as 17 SKUAST-J officials involved. They included former VC, Dr Sharma, Dr Srivastava, Dr Bhagat, Dr Rissam, the accused VC’s henchman and Comptroller (chief of accounts). Even before completion of the SVO investigation, Comptroller was placed under suspension at the moment of his reaching superannuation on March 31, 2009. Assistant Registrar, A K Kaul, who had been appointed as incharge Registrar, was also placed under suspension before his retirement on November 30, 2009.

Sources revealed that on the basis of its detailed investigation, SVO under rules sought permission from the new incumbent VC, Dr B Mishra, for the prosecution of 17 SKUAST-J officials. VC, in turn, sought the advice and opinion of the state Law Department that happens to be the university’s Legal Advisor. According to these sources, Law Department too favoured prosecution of the 17 accused officials. Permission for the prosecution is reportedly in infinite pendency due to the pressure generated by Dr Srivastava and few others at ICAR.

Vice Chancellor as well as Registrar were not immediately reachable for comment. However, sources not authorized to speak on the subject in SKUAST-J said that efforts were underway to rectify the error---and thus stave off a big embarrassment for the PM, Governor and CM---by removing the Vigilance-tainted academics from the Academic Procession.

END

Crime Branch tosses PSC ball to Vigilance

3 relatives of a dismissed Minister among those selected under RBA

Early Times Report

JAMMU, Feb 27: Crime Branch (CB) has tossed the ball of investigating the irregularities committed in recent selection of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons to State Vigilance Organisation (SVO). Meanwhile, a network of touts and agents, that also arranged selection of three relatives of a dismissed cabinet Minister, has built tremendous pressure on CB and SVO to prevent registration of an FIR and a detailed investigation into serious charges of corruption.

Informed sources revealed to Early Times that Crime Branch on Saturday forwarded its status report on alleged irregularities and practice of corruption in the selection of 55 veterinary surgeons to the Commissioner of Vigilance, P L Gupta with the argument that investigating corruption and misuse of official position was primarily the responsibility and jurisdiction of his organization.

“A group of the dropped candidates had approached us with a complaint and supportive documentary evidence with regard to alleged corruption and misuse of official position by the PSC committee. They also provided details of transactions which, according to them, established that unfair means including payment of bribes had taken place during the process. I received a detailed status report from SSP Crime, Kashmir, and forwarded the same to Vigilance Commissioner Mr P L Gupta as investigating such charges is the responsibility and jurisdiction of State Vigilance Organisation”, IGP Crime, Raja Aijaz Ali told Early Times.

Meanwhile, all the selected candidates and “agents”, identified in the RTGS bank transactions as well as taped conversations , have switched off their telephones. According to informed sources, immediately after the controversial selection list appeared in media and J&K High Court got it stayed over a petition of the high-merit dropped candidates, all those who have alleged paid bribes are demanding the money back from. As of now, their selection has fallen in doldrums and the money paid has also gone down the drain.

However, nobody has so far touched a Jammu-based advocate who reportedly got more than a dozen of the least-merit candidates selected. He is reported to have managed selection of a dismissed Cabinet Minister’s son and two more of his relatives in the RBA category. One of them was otherwise also disqualified for the competition as few years back he had set up an industrial unit, namely a stone crusher, under Khadi and Village Industries Board (KVIB), then headed by the politician from Kishtwar. KVIB got a huge amount sanctioned in favour of the industrial unit from a bank and also paid 33% of the amount as subsidy to then unemployed veterinary science graduate.

Sources said that extremely high-flying people involved in the PSC selection scam have begun building huge pressure on the coalition government, particularly Crime Branch and State Vigilance Organisation, to ensure that no FIR was registered and no investigation was conducted. The argument being projected from these quarters is that PSC is “an autonomous body” that works “under its own business rules and constitution”. So, even if there is prima facie evidence of corruption, misuse of official position or any other unfair means, none of the government agencies had any role to investigate.

However, contention of a large number of legislators, including CPI (M) State Secretary, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, and many others from National Conference and Congress itself, is that PSC is the creation of J&K Legislature and thus not only accountable before it but also subject to scrutiny by Police organizations. “It is a very serious allegation from the dropped candidates that there are hundreds of calls between the Jammu-based advocate and the expert engaged by the PSC. How can it be proved right or wrong in absence of a professional inquiry and examination of the call detail record?, an independent MLA asked.

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Selection of Veterinary Surgeons

Crime Branch gets evidence of RTGS transactions

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Feb 25: Having taken cognizance of the irregularities committed in selection of 55 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons, Crime Branch has conducted preliminary verification of the charges leveled by a large number of the dropped candidates and their parents. Even as it has received evidences of the electronically conducted bank transactions, officials are understood to be awaiting orders from IGP who has reportedly received a status report from the lower ranks.

Highly placed sources in Jammu & Kashmir Police revealed to Early Times that Crime Branch had launched its PV into the charges of corruption in recent selection of 55 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons on day one of the publication of a representation, carried exclusively in this newspaper. The representation, addressed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, alleged that touts claiming to be operating on behalf of the PSC officials and a subject expert, had arranged selection of a number of their paid clients in both Kashmir and Jammu.

Attachments of the representation included a taped conversation, purportedly between a dropped candidate’s parents in Baramulla and a Jammu-based advocate, explicitly suggesting payment of bribes, ranging between Rs 5 Lakh and Rs 8 Lakh. A PSC spokesman later asserted in a press release that conversations between outsiders were in no way related to involvement or accountability of the selectors. He stressed that such people, allegedly operating as touts and agents, should be handed over to Police.

Sources, who pleaded that they were not authorized to speak and thus insisted on hiding their identity, said that IGP Crime, Raja Aijaz Ali, had immediately sought a preliminary investigation and status report that had been completed and submitted back to him. These sources said that IGP Crime was “apparently under tremendous pressure” from certain influential quarters who wished him remain inactive and not to issue any orders for registration of a formal FIR in the matter. They revealed that in the PV, CB’s sleuths had detected the key role played by one Shahnawaz Khan.

According to the details made available to the CB sleuths, most of the payment transactions have been conducted through the most modern Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system of different banks operating in Jammu and Kashmir and other states. CB sleuths are investigating why one of the selected candidates, namely Farzana Rashid had transferred an amount of Rs 3.00 Lakh and another amount of Rs 1.00 Lakh from her Saving Bank Account No:  0118040100811384 to M/s Gulab Earth Movers Lasjan under A/c No: 0257010100000827 on 7-2-2011, days before the PSC selection list came out. Out of this amount M/s Gulab Earth Movers Lasjan have transferred Rs 1.00 Lakh to Advocate Shahnavwaz Khan and Rs 5.00 Lakh to one Mr Mohammad Ashraf Thakur bearing account No: 048004010001845.

CB sleuths, according to sources, are also investigating the transactions between M/S Jay Dayal and Sons, bearing account No: 0102CD1595 and Shahnawaz Khan’s M/S Khan’s Residency, bearing account No: No: 0076CD2419.

Account No: 0161CD948 of  Firdous Ahmad Qadri R/o Awantipora is now under scanner for transaction of Rs 1.00 Lakh made to Rabia Akhtar bearing account No: 0113 SB 5242,  Rs 1.65 Lakh to M/s Asif Enteprises account No: 0014CC379, Rs 1.18 Lakh to SB A/c No: 0003SB20665, Rs 1.00 Lakh to Zaid A/c No: 0067 CD 3083, Rs Rs 3.00 Lakh to Kabli & Co Account No: 0161CC338 and Rs 2.00 Lakhs to Shahnawaz Khan SB 5881 new university campus.

M/s Asif Enterprises account is also under scanner for being used for making RTGS payments outside state to various other banks. These include a transaction of Rs 6.00 Lakh to Account No: 0393 CD 145 on 4-2-2011. Identical amount has been found to have been received by Asif Enterprises from account No: No: 0014cc487.

One selected candidate, namely Amjad-ud-islam, has been found to have withdrawn cash worth Rs 3.60 Lakhs from Saving Bank account No: 1204SB 4265 from TP Bandipora, which is suspected to have been an “advance payment”. Sources said that one Bichoo, resident of Kishtwar and Mohammad Aslam Khan of Baramulla, who have served in Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry Departments respectively, are also under scanner for their role in handling transactions for selection of their clients as Veterinary Assistant Surgeons.

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HC stays PSC’s selection of veterinary surgeons

Vacancies of Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry clubbed to pick up tail-enders

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Feb 25: Mr Justice Hasnain Masoodi of Jammu & Kashmir High Court has stayed operation of the selection of 55 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons as conducted and later issued by Jammu & Kashmir Public Service Commission (PSC) on February 17^th. Issuing notices returnable within two weeks to the respondent PSC, Mr Justice Masoodi ordered: “In the meantime, having regard to the averments set out in the petition, coupled with submissions made at bar, selection list of Veterinary Assistant Surgeons in Animal/ Sheep Husbandry Department, shall not be acted upon till next date of hearing before the Bench”.

A group of nearly two dozen high-merit candidates, who have been dropped in the selection, have filed a writ petition before J&K High Court, seeking nullification of the entire selection list. Senior Advocate and former Advocate General of Jammu & Kashmir, Altaf Naik, submitted before Mr Justice Masoodi on behalf of the petitioners that unprecedented irregularities had been committed by PSC in the process of the selection of 55 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons. During his arguments at submission, the petitioners’ counsel pointed out that PSC had clubbed 15 each Open Merit vacancies of the two separate departments of Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry in order to raise the figure to 30.

Naik argued that Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry were by no interpretation a single department for which PSC could have justifiably clubbed the vacancies. According to him, PSC should have observed the traditional and lawful practice of advertising the vacancies of the two separate departments separately. In that case each of the high-merit candidate would have availed the opportunity of competing for the posts in both the departments. Going by the set practice---calling 7 top ranking candidates for each vacancy upto 30 vacancies and 5 for each if total number of the vacancies exceeded 30---not more than 105 candidates were supposed to be called for interview. He pointed out that by way of clubbing the vacancies and raising the number to 30, PSC had created justification for inviting candidates upto serial number 210 of the shortlist.

That, according to the counsel, enabled the selectors to pick up incumbents far beyond the serial number 105. He asserted that it was “more strange” that during the process of interview, the candidates were forced to opt either for Animal Husbandry or for Sheep Husbandry Department. He pointed out that in addition to the unjustified and unlawful clubbing of the vacancies of the two separate departments, PSC had resorted to numerous irregularities that resulted in selection of low-merit candidates and dropping of as many as 41 high-merit candidates who figured among top 50 in the academic merit shortlist. He pointed out that even the candidates who figured at S No: 136 and S No: 133 were selected in the Open Merit category.

Had the PSC called only 105 candidates, separately for filling up 15 each vacancies in Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry Departments, there would have been no scope to pick up the lowest merit candidates who figured at the tail-end, Advocate Naik argued.

With regard to the technical grounds, as pointed out and argued by the petitioners’ counsel, Mr Justice Masoodi ordered immediate staying of the operation of the PSC’s selection list. This has stopped the process of issuing formal orders of appointment in the administrative department at Civil Secretariat.

END

Tarigami for appointment of honest incumbents in PSC, SSRB

Early Times Report

JAMMU, Feb 25: Lack of transparency and accountability in recruitment agencies have discredited these and such procedural practices are in vague for selection purposes that leave much scope for favouritism and other manipulations, said CPI(M) State Secretary and MLA Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami in a statement issued here today.

In his obvious reaction to the controversial selection of 55 Veterinary Assistant Surgeons by J&K State Public Service Commission (PSC), Tarigami asked if selections for various professional courses are made through entrance tests, why the same could not be adopted by PSC, SSRB and other recruiting agencies while making selection of incumbents for various cadres. It was astonishing that most of the selections by these agencies were being made only through direct interviews and even in cases, where screening tests are conducted to shortlist the candidates for the viva-voce, no weightage was being given to the merit obtained by the candidates in the screening tests, he said. Overall performance in both written tests as well as interviews was the only way to get the meritorious and deserving candidates selected in a fair way and even abandoning the interview process could prove more transparent and fool proof.

“Every now and then the aspirants not making to the grade for the selections express grievances of being aggrieved, and need was to remove misgivings and apprehensions among the people especially job seeking youth through a fool proof selection process by amending the existing rules was imperative, as also credible and honest officers be posted in recruitment agencies. There was no harm if the selections were made only through written tests that could reduce the scope for favouritism and ensure time specific selections” Tarigami said.

Urging the government to take cognizance of the grievances of the aggrieved, as regards the selections, CPI (M) State Secretary, Tarigami, urged the state Government to launch investigation wherever needed and make sure that transparency and accountability at all levels was maintained. If manipulations continued in recruitments, the job seekers were sure to lose faith in the recruitment agencies and cause alienation among them. He also demanded immediate identification of vacancies in government departments and filling up of these through fast track process.

END