Morung Express: Dimapur: Monday, June 18, 2018.
The new
anti-corruption watchdog, People for Democratic Rights (PDR), has alleged
irregularities in appointment matters of the Legal Metrology and Consumer
Protection (LMCP) Department, Government of Nagaland, found through the
voluntary RTI yearly disclosures furnished to the Nagaland State Information
Commission (NSIC).
The PDR
stated that it studied the RTI disclosures and “detected various anomalies
regarding backdoor appointments, ghost names, double names within the
Department, contradictory appointment dates, early promotion against laid down
rules etc. All such irregularities concern close relations of certain officers
in the Department by manipulating and rewriting existing official records,” it
alleged in a press release issued today by its Publicity Wing Convener.
LDA to UDA
As per RTI
disclosure of 2012-2013, according to the PDR, the date of first appointment of
a ‘certain female’ as LDA-cum-C/Asstt is mentioned as 01-08-2008 whereas in the
RTI disclosure of 2014-2015, her date of first appointment is shown as
23-05-2013, both with same date of birth as 10-03-1990 and same designation
thus “contradicting Department’s own earlier record.”
Further, in
RTI disclosure of 2016-17, her date of first appointment still shows 23-05-2013
yet by that time she has already become a UDA and the date of appointment to
that promoted post is shown as 01-03-2016. “Being promoted to UDA in less than
three years after joining service as LDA breaks all promotion rules and she
superseded senior colleagues. Another question arises as to when did she first
join the Department: 01-08-2008 or 23-05-2013?” wondered the PDR. In the
2012-13 RTI disclosure, only the first name of her father is mentioned while in
the RTI disclosure of 2014-15 and 2016-17, her father’s full name is mentioned.
“This was a backdoor appointment,” maintained the PDR.
Peon to
Inspector
As per RTI
disclosure of 2011-2012, the designation of a ‘certain male employee’ is shown
as Peon in Kohima District Office. RTI disclosure 2012-2013 still mentions his
designation as Peon with date of birth as 05-10-1992 and ‘Date of first
appointment’ shown as 10-10-2007. However, in RTI disclosure of 2014-2015, the
same person with same date of birth as mentioned in previous RTI disclosures,
is now mentioned as an Inspector with ‘Date of first appointment’ as
04-03-2014. Additionally, RTI disclosure of 2016-17 mentions the same person’s
‘Date of entry into service/first appointment’ and ‘Date of appointment to
present post’ as 04-03-2014. “The contradictory dates of entry into service in
different RTI disclosures reflect a clear picture of manipulation/backdoor
appointment. This is a case of a Peon being promoted to the post of an
Inspector, a post covered under NPSC. If the case is not of a Peon being
promoted to Inspector, then the different dates of entry into service clearly
shows manipulation of service records to make backdoor appointments,” noted the
PDR.
Different
appointment dates
As per
2012-13 RTI disclosure, another female (Inspector) with date of birth 18-04-86,
the date of first appointment is shown as 05-11-2010. However, in RTI 2016-17
disclosure, her date of entry into service/first appointment and date of
appointment to the present post is shown as 04-11-2010.
“Two
different dates of appointment has been furnished thus leaving enough room for
people to conclude that such contradicting dates arose owing to manipulations
in the backdoor appointment. Her date of birth remains the same in both the RTI
disclosures yet the spelling of father’s name differs.”
As per
2012-13 RTI disclosure, another female’s (LDA-CUM-c/Asstt) date of first
appointment is mentioned as 01-11-2010 and date of birth as 05-01-1985. Whereas
as per 2014-15 RTI disclosure with the same date of birth, she is shown to be
appointed on 03-05-2010. “Two contradicting service records being submitted to
the NSIC,” pointed out PDR.
“Such
contradicting service records show clear manipulation galore in the Department
flooded with backdoor appointments,” the PDR stated.
It also
quoted some more examples of manipulation.
Manipulation
& nepotism
All these
irregularities in the Department exhibit an “uncontrolled high degree of
manipulation and nepotism practised by those in powerful positions.”
“Out of turn
promotions and backdoor appointments are a serious matter which needs to be
deeply inquired into. Manipulated/contradictory RTI disclosures submitted to
the NSIC needs an inquiry by the appropriate authority.
Misleading
the public with false information through the very RTI Act meant to provide
honest and truthful disclosures and by the very Department meant to protect the
interest of the consumers and public should be dealt with appropriately,”
stated the PDR while appealing to the Chief Information Commissioner, Nagaland,
to take urgent cognizance of such “manipulated/false RTI disclosures” submitted
to its office and take action upon the department and officers for “misleading
the high office of NSIC and the public.”
Meanwhile,
the PDR demanded proper explanation from the LMCP Department to look into these
issues at the earliest and to take immediate action.
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