EDSSU protests against backdoor appointments

DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 11 : The East Dimapur Sumi Students’ Union (EDSSU) on Friday staged a peaceful protest inside the directorate complex of Land Record and Survey, Dimapur even as, after a lapse of three months, the department concerned has refused to rectify the alleged “backdoor appointments” of twelve officers from 2012 to 2016.

On August 10 last, the EDSSU had supplied information to the local newspapers – gathered through RTI applications – alleging backdoor appointments of four Land Records and Survey Officers (LRSO) and eight surveyors grade-I under the Land Record and Survey (LR&S) department.

In the statement, the EDSSU had demanded that the department immediately terminate all those appointed against mentioned posts and send requisition to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) within a month.
An EDSSU official on Friday said that the department concerned did not requisition said posts even after expiry of the one-month deadline. Reportedly, a “grace period” was then extended, followed by another extension of the deadline by 10 more days.

Thus, an agitated EDSSU decided to initiate its “first phase of agitation” on Friday by way of staging a peaceful protest inside the directorate complex. EDSSU leaders asserted that they would not relent until said posts were requisitioned to the NPSC.

Officials stationed at the Land Record and Survey directorate however claimed they were “not in a position” to fulfil the demand of the EDSSU. A high ranking Land Record and Survey official said that though the 12 posts were filled “without interview”, all of them were appointed “with approval from the government”.

They also cited the controversial June 6 office memorandum issued by the state government which stated that all appointments made prior to June 6, 2016 would remain so.

According to the department officials, said 12 posts were appointed prior to June 6, 2016.

They also claimed that it was not for them to requisition the posts to the NPSC.

An ACAUT representative present at the protest site said that the EDSSU members were demanding their “legitimate right”. How could the government of Nagaland ignore the right to equal opportunity, he asked.

EDSSU officials said they were ready to launch the second phase of agitation soon.