By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, April 27: The Meghalaya Secretariat Progressive Employees Union (MSPEU) has refuted the allegation of nepotism and backdoor appointments levelled by Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM), stating that 118 “casual” peons were recruited in the Meghalaya Civil Secretariat through a transparent and merit-based process.
MSPEU president, advocate Napoleon S Mawphniang, in a statement said the union has taken “serious note” of media reports on KHNAM’s claims, saying that they have created a misleading impression among the public.
He clarified that the 118 workers were appointed following a public recruitment process initiated through an advertisement issued by the Secretariat Administration Department on January 20, 2012.
“The recruitment was open to all eligible citizens of Meghalaya and conducted through a written examination held on September 15, 2012, followed by interviews in December that year and subsequent police verification,” Mawphniang said.
He further stated that appointment orders were issued by the government beginning March 12, 2013, covering multiple batches up to 2019.
“These are not backdoor entrants. Every stage of their recruitment from advertisement to appointment is documented and available in official records,” he added.
Mawphniang maintained that the workers cannot be equated with ad hoc daily wage labourers allegedly engaged informally without following due process.
“If allegations of irregularity relate to such engagements, they do not apply in any manner to the 118 workers represented by this union,” the MSPEU president said.
He stressed that the term “casual” attached to their designation reflects administrative delay in regularisation rather than the nature of their recruitment.
“These workers were recruited through a competitive process, identical in all essential aspects to regular appointments. The failure to regularise them over the past 13 years is an administrative lapse and not a reflection on their legitimacy,” he said.
He pointed out that fluctuations in the number of casual workers cited by KHNAM likely refer to a separate pool of daily wage engagements, and warned against conflating the two categories. “Any inquiry must clearly distinguish between formally recruited employees and informal engagements to avoid injustice,” he said.
Welcoming scrutiny, the MSPEU president said that its members have nothing to fear from investigation.
“All records, including written test attendance, merit lists, interview documents and police verification, are available for verification. What we seek is fairness and accuracy in the process,” Mawphniang said.
He further stated that the 118 workers have served the Secretariat with “discipline and dedication” for over a decade and deserve regularisation.
“They entered service honestly and have served the state honestly. Their long-pending regularisation must be addressed without further delay,” he stressed.
