SHILLONG, Jan 30: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Thursday expressed strong reservations about the illegal or backdoor appointments continuing in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).
KSU’s Employment Monitoring Cell chairman Reuben Najiar alleged that several people were appointed to vacant posts without any advertisements being issued, based on information the union had gathered.
“This is completely contrary to the statement made by KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pyniaid Sing Syiem, who was quoted in the media on January 10 saying there was a move to amend the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council Service Rules, 1961,” Najiar said.
The KSU leader pointed out that the CEM had also mentioned plans to introduce a recruitment policy to ensure a transparent hiring process, eliminating favouritism. According to the KSU leader, this is not the first time KHADC has made appointments without issuing advertisements or conducting recruitment examinations for vacant posts.
Najiar further stated that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had detected anomalies in KHADC’s recruitment process since 2017.
Meanwhile, he informed that a KSU delegation met KHADC secretary DG Syiemiong to seek clarifications on the matter. However, the secretary failed to provide a satisfactory response regarding the recent appointments, Najiar claimed.
“The KHADC secretary defended the process by stating that appointment decisions are made by the Executive Committee (EC) and that his office merely follows the orders given by the EC,” Najiar said.
The KSU leader warned KHADC that the district council is not the personal property of elected MDCs, who should not appoint people at their discretion without issuing advertisements or conducting recruitment exams.
Najiar said the union would submit a representation to the KHADC CEM in the coming days, demanding the cancellation of recent appointments made by the council. “We will resort to other measures if the council fails to revoke all recent appointments,” he added.
