SHILONG: The state government will follow the pattern of UPSC and other state public service commission to ensure that the relatives of job aspirants are not in the recruitment board either as chairman or as its member.
This assurance was given by Chief Minister Mukul Sangma after Paul Lyngdoh (UDP) made a suggestion in this regarding while moving a cut motion to discuss the style and functioning of Home (Jails) department.
He also stressed the need of ensuring transparency and accountability in the recruitment process in the department.
Lyngdoh had on March 15 alleged that DG (prisons) B L Buam was instrumental in appointing his son as an Assistant Jailor.
Subsequently, Buam, who is the Chairman of the Central Recruitment Board, however issued a clarification stating that his son was disqualified by him even before the selected names were forwarded to the government for approval for the post of assistant jailor.
Buam, however, had admitted that his son had appeared for the post of assistant jailor but his name was not cleared by the chairman for appointment.
Referring to the clarification issued to the media by DG (prisons), Lyngdoh wanted to know how the Chairman of the recruitment board qualify or disqualify a job aspirant and it only proves the whimsical way of recruitment.
“I have no axe to grind against any particular person or officer, but my plea is to have objective recruitment”, he added.
A question was raised by the Minister, Home (Jails) Roshan Warjri whether the House can discuss a sub-judice matter, since the entire recruitment process was stayed by the High Court pending for the final disposal.
However, Lyngdoh insisted that what the High Court had stayed was the appointment of warders carried out by the previous DG (prisons), and not the current recruitments.
After the Minister pointed out that the case related to current recruitments too was pending with the High Court, the Assembly Speaker AT Mondal asked Lyngdoh not to refer to the matter and allowed the legislator to raise general issues related to the recruitment process. While continuing with his discussion, Lyngdoh pointed out that as per the score sheets of the examination conducted on December 11, 2015 to select the staff for Prisons department, the original marks obtained is different from the marks currently displayed which indicated that the marks were changed.
Lyngdoh called for objective, transparent and merit based recruitment policy.
Regarding the delay in the construction of Nongpoh jail, Lyngdoh said that that there is a need to speed up the construction as the government is spending Rs 4 lakh a month as conveyance to carry the UTPs from Nongstoin to Shillong jail.
Diosstar Jyndiang (HSPDP) also expressed the need to complete the jail project in time.
In reply, the Minister said that the government was committed to follow a transparent recruitment policy.
On Nongstoin jail, she said that though the work started in 2005, due to various reasons, the work was discontinued. The department is currently waiting for the approval of the revised estimate, she added.
