Assam Govt employees recruited through unfair means to be given the boot: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Guwahati: Assam's health, finance, and education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today said that the state government will cancel the appointment of government employees who have been recruited via unfair means. Sarma said that the government would also look into anomalies in earlier recruitments to see if any employee needs to be given the boot.

"People who have already gotten jobs by resorting to unfair means will lose their jobs," Sarma said. "If a candidate is selected by any unfair means and results of the posts have been declared already, then also their appointments would be cancelled."

Sarma's comments have come against the backdrop of the alleged cash-for-jobs scam in the recruitment of Sub-Inspectors (Unarmed Branch) in the Assam Police. Sarma today said that the examination for the sub-inspector post in Assam Police would be held within November 30 in a "fair manner."

Earlier, the state's Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had directed the Chairman of the 'State Level Police Recruitment Board' (SLPRB), Pradeep Kumar, to conduct re-examination for the posts of Sub-Inspector in the Assam police within a month. The exam was cancelled minutes after it had commenced due to the leaking of question papers.

However, Kumar, who received severe flak for supposed negligence in checking the scam, stepped down from his post on Sunday, September 27. This prompted a rejig in the police recruitment board, with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal eventually choosing DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta as Kumar's successor. ADGP Harmeet Singh has been appointed as the Member Secretary of the recruiting body. Two more senior police officers -- ADGP LR Bishnoi and Inspector General Hiren Nath --have been appointed as members of the SLPRB.

Earlier, the Chief Minister had tasked the DGP with bringing each of the culprits associated with the scam to book. Investigations are currently underway.

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