Nine taken into custody
ONGSTOIN: The DSC 2005 Passed candidates (Grade IV) on Thursday began their indefinite hunger strike outside the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, West Khasi Hills District at Nongstoin but the intervention of the Meghalaya Police suspended the fast as the agitators were in contempt of the Sec 144 CrPC imposed by the DC that restricted their strike.
It may be mentioned that the DSC 2005 Passed candidates had appeared for the DSC Exam in 2005. Though their validity was to end in 2011, the Govt gradually extended it to 2013.
The candidates filed a case at the High Court Shillong demanding their right to be appointed to vacant grade IV posts. However, the High Court ruled that since out of the 79 candidates that had qualified then, 54 had been appointed to grade IV posts within the district and hence their petition did not bear any merit.
The DSC also referred a case to the State Govt as to whether they were independent to advertise grade IV posts in the district. With the permission of the State Govt the DSC had advertised 19 grade IV posts on April 24, 2013 which is still pending recruitment.
The DSC in their final attempt wrote to the DSC to further extend their validity. However, the Govt of Meghalaya declined their representation.
With no options left, the 25 DSC 2005 Passed candidates then resorted to an indefinite
hunger strike in an attempt to pressurize the govt.
As announced earlier, out of the 25 Passed candidates 9 of them marched to the DC’s office and sat at the main entrance of the DC’s office, West Khasi Hills District at Nongstoin on Thursday. However, the DC had already issued Sec 144 CrPC, barring the candidates from hunger striking within West Khasi Hills District.
Police personnel detained all the candidates but a female, who refused to budge. The remaining nine candidates were taken to the Police Statio
