The Kohima bench of Gauhati High Court did not pronounce its verdict during the final hearing on a PIL filed by Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) and Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) against alleged 706 illegal backdoor appointments in 35 departments in Nagaland.
On Thursday afternoon, both the parties presented their arguments before Justice Michael Zothankhuma during the final hearing of the case which lasted for over three hours. According to the PSAN and the ACAUT, the case remained ‘inconclusive.’
The PSAN along with ACAUT had filed the PIL on July 29, 2017 in the Kohima bench of Gauhati High Court against the alleged backdoor appointments.
PSAN member Ngukato K Tsuipu said it was disheartening to observe the government lawyers arguing for dismissal of the petition by claiming that both PSAN and ACAUT, which had questioned 706 backdoor appointments, did not have any locus standi.
He asserted that both the organisations would not back off in their fight against backdoor appointments and corruption in the state government. The PSAN claimed that eight public service aspirants had enough evidence to prove that they were aggrieved and reiterated that anything illegal would remain illegal, and that the excuse of not having locus standi was not fair.
“The battle is far from over, may be the beginning to take the battle to the higher ground,” Tsuipu said.
The two groups had first filed RTIs and submitted representations to the government in the last three years, which was followed by ultimatums and then protests.
“We will not back off from our fight against backdoor appointment and the fight against corruption in Nagaland. What we have started in the last two-three years has been a tremendous journey for all of us. And even if the court does not rule in favour of us, we have taken the decision that we will not back off,” the organisations said.
“We took to the streets not just once but several times even up to the extent of sleeping on the streets in the winter of 2017. We have tried our best in whatever ways and means possible and we will continue until justice is delivered,” PSAN member Ngukato K Tsuipu said.
ACAUT core team member Tia Longchar alleged that the government used all its powers to overwrite all rules and select its own people, especially in home department. He said such a practice is nullifying all the hard work of bright and meritorious youths and called for putting an end to it.