Jobs not cancelled, only frozen: EC
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 08 January 2012 20:07 IST
“We have not cancelled any job selection, only halted the process of appointment due to code of conduct”, Narayan Navti, joint electoral officer has clarified.
The Bharatiya Janata Party however looks at it as an opportunity to undo the whole process and appoint people on ‘merit’, if they come to power after election.
The election commission, due to election code of conduct, has stalled appointments of 417 posts in six different departments.
Following complaint by the BJP against the Congress-led coalition government, the election commission had sought reports from 39 departments about the appointments made after 20 December.
It was found that 887 persons were either appointed or were in the process of getting appointed four days prior to the election announcement.
The election code of conduct came into force from 24 December.
Prior to election, since July, the Digambar Kamat government had created over 5000 vacancies in several departments, which were ‘distributed’ among the ‘needy workers’.
Almost 417 posts were getting filled after 24 December, said Navti. These are now being put on hold.
A final decision in this regard is however yet to be taken. The local election office is awaiting a decision from the Chief Election Commission office from Delhi.
Navti, during a debate called ‘Jagor’ on Prudent TV channel, also clarified that they have no authority to cancel a single selection, but only to freeze the process.
Dr Wilfred Mesquita, the BJP vice president, however claimed during the debate that most of these appointments are not on merit.
“We will definitely review all these appointments if we come to power”, said Dr Mesquita.
Gurudas Sawal, a veteran journalist, during the debate however pointed out that the complaint may boomerang on the BJP since it had deprived the youth from getting jobs they were selected for.
“The Congress may get sympathy that may also get translated into votes”, he opined.
However, all three agreed that making last-minute appointments was an attempt to woo the young voters in view of the forthcoming Assembly election, scheduled on 3 March.
