No more backdoor appointments

Even while carrying out many good initiatives for the development of the state, the LDF government has experienced several setbacks in court over attempts to favour certain individuals in jobs and appointments. The latest setback is the High Court’s decision to stay the government’s move to regularise temporary employees who have been working for more than ten years. Justice C.P. Mohammed Nias stayed the further steps for regularisation, noting the delay in the government’s explanation on the matter. The interim order came on a petition challenging the government’s decision to issue fresh orders in January to regularise temporary employees, despite an earlier High Court ruling that such regularisation should not be done in violation of Supreme Court guidelines. The Chief Secretary had earlier been directed to file an affidavit clarifying the government’s stand. However, the government failed to submit it even after being given several extensions. Meanwhile, the petitioners’ counsel pointed out that fresh moves were being made to regularise temporary staff. It was after this that the court intervened and stopped further action.

In November last year, the High Court had ordered that temporary employees should not be regularised in the future without following the procedures laid down by the Supreme Court. Ignoring this, the government issued an order in early January to regularise librarians, nursery teachers, ayahs and others who have been working for more than ten years under local bodies. Malappuram native Abdul Wahid filed the petition alleging that the move amounted to contempt of court. The case will be considered again on March 2.

Files related to the regularisation of about a thousand more contract employees in institutions under various departments are also under the consideration of the Cabinet. A similar attempt to regularise employees during the final phase of the first Pinarayi government was also stayed by the High Court. Even after a long legal battle, the government could not complete that process. Now, as it prepares to frame general norms for regularisation to overcome the court ruling, it has faced another setback. The government is being ridiculed for not dealing with such issues in a fair and honest manner. Even as candidates who cleared the PSC exams and made it to the rank lists wait anxiously for appointments, the government is favouring certain people through backdoor recruitments. In many instances, a significant number of candidates in the PSC rank lists failed to secure jobs, and the lists expired without them getting any appointment. Even after protesting outside the Secretariat in the scorching sun and rain, the government did not come forward to provide them with the jobs they deserved. At the same time, backdoor appointments are alleged to be taking place arbitrarily, as per the wishes of those in power.

If educated youth in Kerala are to be prevented from migrating to other places in search of jobs, strict steps must be taken to end such backdoor recruitments. A clear decision should be made that appointments will be carried out only from the PSC rank lists. That is the responsibility of a democratic government. The government must show the will to do so, and the present High Court directive should serve as a lesson in this regard.