Illegal Appointment to the Post of Panchyat Secretary

To

The Chief Secretary,

Andaman and Nicobar Administration,

Port Blair.

Sub: Illegal appointment to the posts of Panchayat

Secretaries on deputation basis - regarding.

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Sir,

It has been reported to this Association that the Director of Panchayats and Rural Development has appointed 15 employees of the Andaman & Nicobar Forest & Plantation Development Corporation Ltd. (a public sector undertaking) as Panahayat Secretaries on deputation basis. This has been done in flagrant violation of the existing recruitment rules, framed and published by the A & N Administration, for recruitment to the posts of Panchayat Secretaries.

As per the Andaman and Nicobar Administration (Panchayat Secretary) (Amendment) Rules, 2000, published in the Andaman & Nicobar Gazette on 18^th February, 2000 vide No. 35/2000, (i) 50% of the posts of Panchayat Secretaries are to be filled up by direct recruitment failing which by transfer on deputation and (ii) 50% by transfer on deputation (copy enclosed for kind perusal). It is also provided in the said Rules that only the officials working in the Community Development Block/Block Level Administration, Revenue Cadre, VLWs/Gram Sevikas, Amalgamated Clerical Cadre Staff are eligible for deputation to the post of Panchayat Secretary.

It is, thus, clear that the appointment of the employees of the Forest Corporation on deputation to the posts of Panchayat Secretaries are in gross violation of the above-said Rules. In this way, the chances of the employees who are eligible for deputation to the posts of Panchayat Secretaries have been blocked. Most of the above-categories of employees are stagnating in their respective posts without any promotion for several years and in such a situation, denial of even the available chance for a higher post is an injustice to them.

We are also at a loss to understand as to how the Administration can appoint employees of a public sector undertaking on deputation to a government department. While I am disinclined, at this stage, to deal with the legal flaws involved in this matter, I would definitely say that this has set a bad precedent in the Administration.

I would, therefore, request your goodself kindly to intervene in this matter in the light of the above facts and take appropriate steps in order to render justice to the affected sections of government employees.

Action taken in the matter may please be intimated to this Association.

Yours faithfully,

Encl: As above.

(D. Ayyappan)

General Secretary