AGARTALA, Jan 7 (TIWN): Ratan Lal led State Law Dept’s corruption in APP recruitment exposed after High Court cancelled illegal recruitment and ordered State to give appointment to the petitioners. After High Court’s cancellation of tender in Cancer Hospital Drug Scam, this is another major case exposed Tripura BJP Govt’s corruption. High Court has struck down the appointment of Assistant Public Prosecutor of Gomati District, made by the Law Secretary, Government of Tripura on 15-6-2018.The division bench comprising Chief Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice Arindam Lodh in a public interest litigation has rejected the government stand, that, Govt can choose any one from the panel ignoring the merit position. 2 advocates Joyesh De and Bapi Dey of Udaipur District Bar filed the writ petition before the High Court.

They applied for selection for the post of Assistant public prosecutor in pursuance to the notification, dated, 5.4.2018 in the selection process. Their position was first and second and they were duly recommended by the selection committee headed by the DM and Collector, Udaipur Gomati District.But Law Department under extraneous consideration and political pressure did not appoint them and appointed those who where at the bottom of the merit panel. 

Chief Minister Biplab Deb and his Law Minister Ratanlal Nath’s so called Transparent Recruitment dialogues can not be uttered anymore as in a major blow for BJP led Tripura Govt, High Court terminated illegally recruited 5 AAPs in Udiapur, orderering for fresh recruitment. One after one jolts are receiving by the BJP Govt in High Court as within 21 months the Govt turned a den for corrupt regimes.   Addressing media, Advocate Purushottom Roy Barman said, “Today in Highway a division bench of Chief Justice A.A.Kureshi and Justice Arindam Lodh has cancelled the advertisement of APP recruitment in Udaipur Lower Court, Gomati District. The verdict says that the advertisement is illegal and unlawful. The judgement said that no Govt can violate the procedures of recruitment while appointing the APP and Govt can not do as it wishes. The two petitioners will be now appointed within 2 months by the Govt under High Court’s order. In last May month, Gomati District DM published an advertisement for recruitment and accordingly various lawyers appealed for the post and a selection list was made after interviews. In the list, lawyer Pakhi Dey and Joyesh Dey scored highest but didn’t get jobs”.

In the High Court, Government took a strange stand. Contention of the Government was that State can do anything. State is not required to go by its merit panel. State has right to pick and choose any one it likes. This contention has been countered by the LD Counsel appearing for the Petitioners as arbitrary and not permissible under the Constitution of India, specially under Article 14. Today Division Bench after hearing both sides, rejected the Govt stand and held that, Government cannot act arbitrarily by passing merit position. Merit list must be maintained and followed.

Corruption in appointment of assistant public prosecutor has been exposed and nailed down by the High Court. High Court also directed the government to give appointment to the petitioners, within 2 months. High Court also rejected the existing Assistant Public Prosecutor, who are working now. The petitioners were represented by LD. Advocate Sri Purushottam Roy Burman, Samarjit Bhattacharjee and Kawsik Nath.

“In reply, State Govt strangely said that State Govt doesn’t need to follow any guideline for recruitment. We argued, under Article 14 Govt does not have any right to do according to its wish and Govt has to be transparent in recruitment. High Court accepted our point and cancelled recruitment of 5 advocates and asked to recruit these 2 petitioners within 2 months”, Purushottom Roy Barman told media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSfURN12EHs&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR3n7RsUE-GBHN6t_1R5IvmMWZmhp69uZVvEf3Q2o-S9orLQ84pgGBemFww

“This case is very important as Govt has argued that it can do anything in recruitment. Indirectly it wanted to say that Govt can recruit their party people……..indeed it’s a dangerous statement !”, added Barman.

But High Court rejected Govt arguments and asked Govt to follow Merit Panel and procedures. This Judgement is a tight slap on Ratan Lal