SHILLONG, March 19: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) had made seven direct appointments in various posts merely based on the recommendations of Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Deputy CEM, thereby bending its own recruitment rules, a report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) for the year ending 2012 revealed.
Neither the posts were advertised nor was there a test. According to the CAG report, the rules clearly state that recruitment to all cases of services and staff shall be made after due advertisement and by competitive examination or on the basis of oral examination and interview.
Scrutiny of records revealed the KHADC had recruited in March 2011 and January 2012 seven staff members for various posts such as typist, peon, and constable etc, the CAG report stated.
“It was, however, noticed that seven vacancies were never advertised. The appointments were made only on the basis of the Executive Committee’s approval without holding any competitive examination/interview that was not on records,” the CAG report stated.
Further, the report said, the Secretary to the Executive Committee in the KHADC in his reply in May 2018 had stated that the officials were earlier attached to the legislative department and subsequently, absorbed with the approval of the Executive Committee.
“However, KHADC did not have any reason for the irregularity pointed out by the audit,” the report said.
The CAG said non-adherence to recruitment policy creates opportunities for favouritism in the hiring process and in order to maintain fair competition for selection of deserving candidates, the Council may follow recruitment rules.
“These appointments, being in violation of the Council’s own rules, need to be annulled/cancelled. Similar recruitment against permanent posts may be reviewed for necessary action,” the report added.