THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the continuing saga of neglect towards physically challenged candidates, the Revenue Department is feigning ignorance about the six Deputy Collector posts sanctioned by the Finance Department, claiming that the government has to create supernumerary posts. In the process, it has even neglected the Kerala Administrative Tribunal’s order to appoint three PH candidates from the ranked list before September 8.
Despite having six sanctioned posts, the Revenue Department has misled the KAT that it has to create supernumerary posts to comply with the court order to appoint three PH candidates in the ranked list.
However, when the Revenue Department’s proposal for creating supernumerary posts reached the Finance Department, Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac pointed out that as there were already six sanctioned posts of Deputy Collectors, it could have appointed the three PH candidates in the posts.
The KAT had ordered the government to create supernumerary posts by September 8. But ignoring the KAT order, the Revenue Department was sitting on the file. The C- Section of the Revenue Department, which is bound to complete the formalities, ignored the order as if it had no business in complying with the order. Following the Finance Minister’s reply to the proposal, the file is now before the Chief Minister. Once the Chief Minister grants approval, the file will be sent to the Cabinet. Revenue Secretary P H Kurien told Express “As the government has formed six new Revenue Divisions, there will be sufficient promotions to the existing Deputy Collector posts and there would not be any problem in filling the vacancies meant for the PH candidates.”