Several hundreds of ministerial staff picketed the Secretariat on Thursday opposing the move of the government to bring in a system of filling posts prior to 2006.
The staff alleged that the government has been acting to weaken the judgement of the Madras High Court which ruled that the Union Territorial administration had the power to make appointment up to level of Group ‘B’.
Puducherry Government carried out restructuring in the cadre of Superintendents in the ministerial cadre within its competency and which was in line with recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. In 2006, the Government issued an order for amalgamation of posts of Superintendent Grade-I and Grade-II as Superintendent.
The Puducherry Executive and Technical Officers Association challenged the order before the Madras High Court. Dismissing the petition filed by the association, the High Court ruled that the Union Territorial Administration has ample power to make appointment up to the level of Group ‘B’ posts.
Against the order of the Madras High Court, the Puducherry Executive and Technical Officers Association preferred an appeal before the Supreme Court. The apex court passed an interim order to maintain status quo on August 8, 2013 restraining the government from filling up posts.
In a communication sent to advocate on record, the government asked him to obtain permission of the Supreme Court for filling up posts by adopting the system which existed prior to 2006.
The government said the mounting vacancies over the years have taken their toll on the administrative efficiency. The serving officers have been saddled with additional responsibilities and Government of Puducherry is hard pressed to locate officers to man the vacancies on additional charge basis. While the action of Government of Puducherry in merging the two grades of Superintendents is within the realms of its competency, the series of litigations has precipitated the matter leading to a compelling situation of paralysing the various limbs of the Government for want of officers.
A.Rajendran, General Secretary of Puducherry Unified Ministrial Staff Association, said the government has not taken any effective step to vacate status quo for one year. Now it decided to seek the permission of Supreme Court to bring in system of filling up posts before amalgamation in 2006.
