APSC 'jobs-for-cash' scandal: PIL filed for judicial commission enquiry into 2014 exam too

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed before the Gauhati High Court, seeking that the court should issue a directive for constitution of a judicial commission, on the lines of the 'Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma Commission of Enquiry', to investigate irregularities perpetrated in connection with the Combined Competitive Examination (CEE) 2014 conducted by the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC).

The PIL has been filed by one Ramen Chandra Talukdar.

The petitioner has noted that in response to an earlier batch of petitions, the court had passed an order on October 15, 2015, directing the Government of Assam to nominate a retired judge of the Gauhati High Court as the head of the commission formed to look into allegations of irregularities and malpractices in the Combined Competitive Examination 2013. Accordingly, the State Government constituted the 'Justice Biplab Kumar Sarma Commission of Enquiry' vide a Notification (No.PLA.440/2015/102/ECF-7268) dated July 8, 2019, which had the brief to investigate allegations pertaining to the APSC's Combined Competitive Examination 2013.

The petitioner has cited media reports and other documented facts and contended that not only the Combined Competitive Examination 2013, but even the Combined Competitive Examination 2014 was also compromised due to various corrupt practices. Buttressing his contention, the petitioner has pointed out that barring one member, the composition of the APSC hierarchy was the same during both the examinations. Moreover, the petitioner has argued, those arrested by the Dibrugarh Police in connection with the 'jobs-for-cash' scandal included 21 candidates who were recruited to the State's civil and police services on the basis of the evidently unfair results of the Combined Competitive Examination 2014.

Consequently, the petitioner has stated, there is ample prima facie evidence that some unfit and corrupt persons entered the administrative machinery by dishonest means via the APSC's Combined Competitive Examination of 2014 as well and, unless they are identified and weeded out, the public at large will have to suffer adverse consequences in the time to come.

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