THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The PSC seems to have little regard for the law of the land as it continues to play the dirty game by sabotaging court verdicts in favour of the hapless physically challenged candidates. The PH candidates who had found a place in the Deputy Collector rank list have been running from pillar to post for more than three years seeking justice as the insensitive officials in the government and the PSC were repeatedly ignoring the court verdict as well as the government’s directives.
In the current ranked list for Deputy Collectors, there are two PH candidates .
The Kerala Administrative Tribunal (KAT) had ordered the PSC to advice three disabled candidates against the reported regular vacancies in the Revenue Department. After prolonged fight, the Revenue Department finally reported two regular vacancies to the PSC for advice of two disabled candidates and the PSC received it on November 24, 2017. But the PSC is continuing its dirty game.
Contrary to the facts, the Advice section of the PSC sent a note to the Litigation section saying that only 16 candidates had been advised and hence only one PH candidate needs to be advised. As the file reached the Litigation section with such a confusing note, they had to comply with it. But when the candidate contacted the Joint Secretary in the Advise section feigned ignorance saying whatever decision the litigation team takes, would be followed.
The PSC has been trying to manipulate the file ever since. Initially, they said they would need further clarifications from the Revenue Department and they changed the stand again. Now the file has been sent to the Litigation section with the advice pro forma for legal compliance. But the file carried a note that only 16 people had been sent advise memos so far while 33 postings have already been made since 1996,” points out K Madhu, one of the rank holders.
As per the government order, the PSC has to follow the roster system of 1,34 and 67 in PH appointment.
In view of the Government order, the PSC should have advised the two PH rank holders for the post as they had already advised 33 candidates. When contacted, PSC secretary Saju George admitted that 33 Deputy Collectors had been advised since 1996.
The Supreme court had ruled that the three per cent quota for PH candidates should be implemented with retrospective effect from 1996. Also it had endorsed the Government of India order that a roster system of 1, 34, and 67 should be followed to fill the PH vacancies.
It was after prolonged legal fight that the Government of Kerala made the required amendments. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s personal intervention to expedite the PH appointment had paved the way for effecting rule amendments. But the PSC is ignoring all these rules.
Madhu,who has secured a score almost close to the regular candidates in the exam, asks how the Litigation section could be misguided by a joint secretary in the Advise section and then expect the Lititgation Section to take the correct decision.
Dirty game of Public Service Commission
As per govt order, the PSC has to follow the roster system of 1,34 and 67 in PH appointment.
In view of the order, the PSC should have advised the two PH rankholders for the post as they had already advised 33 candidates.
PSC secretary Saju George admitted that 33 Deputy Collectors had been advised since 1996.