Nagaland cabinet reduces timeline for HPC to submit report

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• (L-R) Dr. J Alam, TR Zeliang and KG Kenye addressing the press conference. (EM Images)

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• KOHIMA — Nagaland Cabinet has shortened the timeline for resolving the absorption issue of 147 assistant professors and librarians, reducing the initial eight-week period granted to a High Power Committee (HPC) to four weeks. The decision was taken during Monday afternoon’s Cabinet meeting.
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• The announcement was made at a late-night press conference held at the Chief Secretary Conference Hall, led by Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang, along with Minister for Power and Parliamentary Affairs KG Kenye and Chief Secretary Dr. J Alam.
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• Following the Cabinet discussion, government officials engaged in separate meetings with representatives from the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), the Combined Technical Association Nagaland (CTAN) and the Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (NNQF) to further discuss the matter.

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• Zeliang recounted that the HPC was originally granted eight weeks to present its report to the Cabinet, but the CTAN and the NNQF had expressed dissatisfaction with the extended timeframe, prompting several rounds of meetings with the Minister for Higher Education.
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• According to him, the Cabinet deliberated on the issue at length, understood the contention of the agitators, and took a new decision: if the eight weeks were too long for the protestors to wait, then they will reduce the number of days and weeks to four weeks instead.
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• Under this new configuration, the HPC now has just three weeks remaining, as one week has already passed since the committee's formation on April 21.
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• Zeliang emphasised the government's desire to receive a comprehensive report from the HPC, citing the need for documented evidence and proof to support any future decisions regarding the contentious issue.
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• This information will include details regarding the years in which appointments were made, the number of appointments made, and the tenure of those responsible.
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• The deputy chief minister maintained that the government has appealed to the protestors, including the Naga Students' Federation, to consider the Cabinet's position and engage in discussions amongst themselves.
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• Zeliang assured all parties that the government is committed to taking a "positive step and action" following the HPC's report submission within the next three weeks.
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• According to Zeliang, the Cabinet on June 6, 2016, took the decision that “ad hoc or contract appointments will not take place”, and it was subsequently ratified by the State Assembly.
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• “There is no lapse of process if you talk about 6th June, 2016. But in between, some decisions were taken adverse to what we had decided in 2016. So the Cabinet understood the position of the agitators. But we need a few days' time, and we have given a few days' time to the High Power Committee to submit the report," he explained.
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• The HPC's mandate is to identify those responsible for violating the 2016 decision, pinpoint the years in which the improper appointments occurred, and quantify the number of unauthorised positions created. The government intends to hold the responsible departments and officers accountable based on the HPC's findings, he assured.
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• Zeliang clarified that recently appointed department heads (AHOD, HOD, secretary, and director) will not be held liable for actions taken by their predecessors.
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• Acknowledging the erosion of public trust due to past deviations from the established policy, he appealed to the agitators to suspend their protests pending the completion and review of the HPC report.
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• However, he maintained that the government and the Cabinet require a report in order to take corrective decisions. The HPC will examine ‘whose clearance was taken from the Finance and P&AR department,’ he added.
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• While the Minister for Higher Education had reportedly made assurances to the agitators, the issue was not formally raised for a decision in the Cabinet beyond general discussion. The Cabinet has thus opted to defer any action until the HPC report is available. The Cabinet will review the report to decide how to move forward.
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• He also emphasised that the June 6, 2016, decision applies universally to all government departments, not just Higher Education.