Thiruvananthapuram: As the tenure of the Left Democratic Front government is set to end soon, steps to make permanent several temporary staff serving the state administration at various levels are being rushed. In all the service of 456 people have been thus regularised in the last three months and more are in line despite the objections raised by the finance and law departments over violation of standing court strictures.
The finance and law departments had opposed the regularisation of the temporary staff citing the Supreme Court verdict in Karnatala Vs Uma Devi case. Despite knowing fully well that such appointments are a violation of the rules, the government is going great ahead with its decision to regularise more temporary staff as most of them are Leftists or acolytes of Leftist leaders.
Government's defence
The ruling political front has decided to counter the allegations by claiming that temporary employees placed by the previous United Democratic Front dispensation are also among the beneficiaries of the latest move.
The state government has argued that service regularisation is made with regard to temporary employees of public sector undertakings where recruitment are not routed through the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Applications still on
Meanwhile, applications requesting regularisation of temporary services are still coming in from various departments. The finance and law departments have opposed these applications as well.
Legal experts point out that since the departments themselves jot down on the files that the appointments are illegal, the decision to regularise the services of temporary staff may not stand the legal scrutiny in a court of law.
The Executive Director of the Social Security Mission has sent a letter to the government requesting the regularisation of 17 employees of the department. They include office attendant to regional director.
The letter points out that the salary of the regularised staff would be given from three own funds of the mission. The report submitted by the executive director states that the salary of the regularised staff would be given from. Rs 2.25 crore accruing as interest from the Corpus Fund and there would be no additional financial liability for the government.
The regularisation is being sought with the objective of institutionalising the Social Security Mission.
Other requests
The government is also considering the regularisation of services of five contract workers in the State Children's Literature Institute. The list includes staff who have completed 10 years service and those who had service break. The standing committee concealed all these facts, approved the list and handed it over to the government the other day.
The Literacy Mission file pertaining to regularisation of 83 persons including 50 temporary staff is also before the government for consideration. The Executive committee of the mission has handed over the recommendation for regularisation of staff to the government.
Earlier this move was put on hold following a major controversy.
Steps have also been taken to regularise the services of six staff members in the State Chalachitra Academy. The academy Secretary has sent a letter to the cultural affairs department in this regard.
