AIZAWL: Spearheaded by two influential student bodies- Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and Mizo Students’ Union (MZP), students staged a peaceful demonstration in front of the assembly hall on Friday in protest against the alleged nepotism by Assembly speaker Lalrinliana Sailo and Assembly secretary Lalhmahruaia Zote in recent recruitment in the state assembly secretariat in Mizoram.
The students demanded the cancellation of the appointment of 11 staff, of which nine are close relatives of Sailo and Zote.
They accused Sailo and Zote of indulging in nepotism and giving undue favour to their relatives.
The state assembly recently recruited 11 staff- assistants, translators, Upper Division Clerks, and Lower Division Clerks and 9 of them are close relatives of the speaker and the secretary.
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The students adopted resolutions, including cancellation of the appointments and conduct of new recruitment under the recruitment rules of the assembly.
They also pledged that they will continue the agitation until the recruitments and appointments are cancelled.
Leaders of MZP and MSU also on Friday called on Chief Minister Zoramthanga urging him to take measures for cancellation of the appointments.
They also urged him to review the recruitment rules.
Zoramthanga on his part assured them of all necessary steps.
Meanwhile, the Assembly secretariat issued a statement clarifying that the appointments were strictly done in accordance with the Mizoram Assembly Secretariat (Recruitment and Condition of Services) Rules 1955.
It said that the staff were selected based on merit in the written examination.