PUDUCHERRY: Saying that the selection of candidates on all India basis is unjustifiable, former MLA, M Ilango urged PM Narendra Modi to provide employment under Group A and B posts (reserved and unreserved) only to the residents of Puducherry in the interest of safeguarding the rights of people of the UT.
In a petition submitted to the PM on behalf of Puducherry French Citizens Rights Forum, Ilango also urged the setting up of Puducherry Public Service Commission for selection of candidates to various posts, including the Pondicherry Civil Service (PCS) cadre.
Explaining he said, “At present, the candidates for Group A and B posts, which come under the administrative control of the government of Puducherry, are selected through UPSC on all-India basis. As a result, people of Puducherry, belonging to all caste groups, including scheduled castes, backward class, most backward classes, extremely backward classes, Muslim minorities and scheduled tribes lost much of their employment opportunities in the higher position posts, thereby defeating the very objective of reservation as defined by the Supreme Court, he said in the petition. Ilango said the people of States are having dual employment opportunity compared to that of the people of UTs, who have got only one channel of employment, that too is being snatched away by those outside the State. Therefore, there is an imbalance in equality of opportunity in the matter of employment. The people of the States have an upper edge than the UTs, he added.
Pointing that the UT has become the centre for education, he said the students, however, are put in much hardships in the matter of employment. They are either left unemployed or underemployed because of the selection process adopted now.
Ilango said, in such a situation, we could not see any justification or legal sanction for the selection of candidate for the Groups A and B posts in the UT administration on all India basis through UPSC, it infringes on the rights of Puducherry residents.
The copies of the letters have been sent to President of India, Union Home and Social welfare Ministers, the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister of the UT.
He pointed out the clarification given by the Supreme Court on the status of UT that though the UTs are centrally administered under the provisions of the Article 329, they do not become merged with the Central Government and they form part of no State and yet are the territories of the Union.