Two civil society organizations – Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) and Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) – on Friday termed the dismissal of the writ petition of the Nagaland Government on backdoor appointments by a division bench of Gauhati High Court as victory of the public.
The State Government filed the writ petition challenging the judgment of the single-bench of the Kohima bench of Gauhati High Court on backdoor appointments.
A division bench of Gauhati High Court on February 7 last dismissed the writ petition of the State Government challenging August 3, 2018 order of the single-bench court on the PIL filed by ACAUT and PSAN against ‘backdoor appointments’ to 706 posts under Nagaland Public Service Commission.
“The dismissal of the government’s appeal by the court is a victory for the public against the scheming ways of the powers that be and should serve as a reminder that the voice of the people cannot be muted to perpetuity,” the ACAUT and PSAN said in a joint statement.
They said it was unfortunate that the State Government filed the writ petition challenging the single-bench judgment. The division bench’s dismissal of the government writ petition has made the right-thinking public and genuine aspirants reaffirm and repose their faith in the temple of justice once again as law abiding citizens of this country, the statement said.
The government contended in its petition that the single-judge bench committed a mistake in not allowing it to regularize the services of ‘backdoor appointees’ who have completed three years of service as per office memorandum dated August 4, 2008 and August 11, 201616, the ACAUT and PSAN said.