By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The CBI probe report which has indicted several legislators including ministers for recommending some candidates for appointment as assistant teachers in LP schools, and the subsequent ‘confessions’ by those named, is being viewed as a clear case of ‘indirect canvassing’ which violates the terms of the advertisement notice.
Though the legislators and ministers have denied putting any kind of pressure on the appointment authorities, sources say that it would have been difficult for the authorities to ignore the ‘recommendations’ made by the legislators and ministers.
The advertisement, which was issued on December 12, 2010 for appointment of candidates to the post of assistant teachers in Government Lower Primary Schools, clearly specified that candidates who resort to canvassing – directly or indirectly in any form – would be liable to be disqualified.
Following in the footsteps of some of his colleagues, Social Welfare Minister JA Lyngdoh on Sunday admitted that he had recommended the names of some candidates for appointment as assistant teachers.
“Recommendation of candidates by legislators is not a new thing. When people approach me, I cannot reject their request to recommend their names. But the final discretion lies with the department concerned. I want to make it clear that I had not put any pressure on the selection authority to select those candidates whom I had recommended,” Lyngdoh told The Shillong Times on Sunday.
Referring to the recent appointment of Grade IV staff in the Secretariat Administration Department (SAD), Lyngdoh said that he did not interfere with the selection process in his own department.
“It is impossible on my part to put pressure on other departments,” Lyngdoh added.
Earlier, Forest and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong and Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope had also admitted that they had recommended the names of some candidates, although both of them denied having put any kind of pressure on the selection authority to select their candidates. Meanwhile, Education Minister Prof RC Laloo, who is currently in Delhi to attend the State Education Ministers’ meeting, refrained from making any comments saying that the matter was sub judice.
“As directed by the court, the government has duly constituted a committee and we shall submit the findings within the stipulated time,” Prof Laloo said.
The Education Minister also assured that he would throw more light on the matter only ‘after studying the file’ once he returns from Delhi.