Permanent appointments with retrospective effect for 1000 temporary employees; move under guise of High Court Single Bench decision

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Move for permanent appointments with retrospective effect for 1000 people who are holding various posts on a temporary basis in some government institutions and the University of Calicut. This is in the guise of the High Court Single Bench upholding the decision to permanently appoint about 60 temporary employees in the Library Council with retrospective effect.

Permanent appointments are planned to be given to temporary employees in the Department of Tourism, C-DIT, Keltron, School Kerala (Open School), LBS, Women Commission, Youth Welfare Board, Head Load Workers Welfare Board, Literacy Mission, Coir Research Institute, Remote Sensing Center, Continuing Education Center etc. Keltron (240) and C-Dit (140) have the most number of employees. The move is to permanently appoint 30 people including the driver of the VC in Calicut University. Lakhs including salary arrears will have to be paid to each of them if they are permanently appointed with retrospective effect.

Three years ago, the High Court Division Bench had stayed the order that gave permanent appointments to about 60 people, including clerks, drivers and attendants, who had been working in the Library Council since 2006. However, the single bench hearing the petition later accepted the government's decision in March. Permanent appointments with retrospective effect were given to 13 persons in 2018 and 47 persons in 2020. They have been working in the Library Council since 2006. A deceased was also on the list. Later his wife was given a compassionate appointment.

Appointment under political influence

Although appointments in many government institutions are left to PSC, in some places vacancies are not reported as special rules are not prepared. Most of the temporary appointments are politically influenced. Although there is a recruitment board for appointment to public sector institutions, temporary staff are appointed in some places without any consultation from them. Temporary appointments on huge salaries were made at KIIFB, K Disk and K Phone as well.