Chief Secretary Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Commissioner H. Gyan Prakash, and Ningthoujam Geoffrey Special Secretary (DP) are the members of the said DPC.
IT News
Imphal, June 9:
At what could be termed as misuse of power by the government authority, the appointment order of a Director of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department, Govt. of Manipur has been found issued on Second Saturday.
As per documents available with Imphal Times, Asem Rangina Chanu, Deputy Secretary (DP), Government of Manipur, had issued an appointment order for Dr. Ch. Nandakishore Singh to the post of Director, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department. The order was issued as a result of the Departmental Promotion Committee Meeting held on January 8, 2022, at the office chamber of the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur for the appointment by promotion to the position of Director, Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Department, Government of Manipur. Dr. Rajesh Kumar, IAS, Chief Secretary, H. Gyan Prakash, IAS, Commissioner (Vety. & AH) and Ningthoujam Geoffrey, IAS Special Secretary (DP) are the members of the said DPC.
One S. Indra Singh of Haoreibi Mayai Leikai had filed a complaint to the Chief Minister of Manipur and the Chief Secretary of Manipur on May 18, 2022 to declare the promotion order of Ch. Nandakishore as null and void and to take up necessary disciplinary actions against the officials involved in holding the DPC and issuing promotion order on 2nd Saturday of January 2022. It may be mentioned that the Office of Manipur Secretariat closes every second Saturday of each month as per para no. 10 of the Manual of office procedure, 1977.
In a reply to the said complaint, Deputy Secretary (DP) stated that “there is an urgent need to appoint a Director in the Vety and AAH Department due to exigency of work and smooth functioning of the Department and hence DPC meeting for promotion of Dr.Ch. Nandsakishore Singh to the post of Director, Vety and AH was held on 08.01.2022(2nd Saturday) by relaxing the requirement of four years of service as MVS Grade-II for promotion to MVS Grade-I(i.e. Director, Vety & AH) and exempting from consultation of MPSC as approved by the State Cabinet in its meeting held on 04.02.2022. it may also be informed that there is no prohibition of employees working on holidays, and it has been restored many times in the past whenever there are exigencies of work, such as when a government business has to be transacted immediately or a deadline has to be met.”
Something appears to be amiss in the process of appointing Ch.Nandakishore as Director, as he is also Director-in-Charge of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry while holding DPC, and thus there is no urgent need to appoint a Director, as stated by the Deputy Secretary.
Holding DPC and issuing promotion orders knowingly on a holiday by a government officer is a violation of the law. Disciplinary action should be initiated against such officials at the earliest, failing which it will be presumed that the government is supporting such erring officials.
