Assam Police Recruitment: 17 Officers' Appointments Deemed Illegal

In a recent government order, Pratha Sarathi Mahanta, the Inspector General of Police (Admin) for Assam, addressed Ajay Tewari, Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Assam, Home and Political Department, regarding a significant recruitment issue that has unfolded since 2007.

The order outlines a series of events stemming from an advertisement made on November 23, 2007, for the recruitment of 116 Sub-Inspectors (Unarmed Branch) [SI(UB)].

On September 11, 2008, the results for 115 successful candidates from the 49th batch were declared, with one post left vacant due to the absence of an eligible Scheduled Tribe (H) candidate. However, on September 30, 2008, 17 unsuccessful candidates approached the Gauhati High Court seeking to stay the operation of the select list published on September 16, 2008, under WP(C) No. 4435/2008.

The court ruled on July 14, 2014, instructing the Government to redo the select list in compliance with the law within two months. Following this order, on December 1, 2015, the petitioners in WP(C) No. 4435/2008 moved the High Court for the execution of the previous order.

In response, the Government of Assam formed a committee on March 7, 2017, tasked with preparing a correct select list of 116 SI(UB) candidates. The committee included the Director General of Police, Assam, as chairman, along with several other key members from various government departments.

Subsequently, a revised select list was prepared, replacing 19 ineligible candidates with eligible ones. This redone list received governmental approval on May 23, 2017, and was subsequently presented to the court. The Gauhati High Court issued an order on June 7, 2017, closing the contempt case while emphasizing that appointments from the recast select list should be made without undue delay.

It is crucial to note that the 19 (17+2) ineligible candidates were initially appointed in 2008 alongside the 49th batch of SI(UB) without adhering to the proper recruitment rules, particularly concerning the appropriate selection of candidates across various categories (UR/SC/ST(P), etc.). Consequently, the appointments of these 19 (17+2 nos. of already discharged) officers have been deemed illegal and void ab initio, rendering them without legal right to continue in service.

The following 19 (17+2) officers have been excluded from the redone select list:

1. Inspector (UB) Sahidur Rahman – Kamrup, appointed on November 21, 2008.

2. Inspector (UB) Bhaskar Barman – Kamrup, appointed on November 19, 2008.

3. SI (UB) Badri Prasad Baruwati – Kamrup, appointed on November 19, 2008.

4. Inspector (UB) Hemen Sarma – Kamrup, appointed on November 19, 2008.

5. Inspector (UB) Faruque Ahmed – Darrang, appointed on November 21, 2008.

6. Inspector (UB) Amar Ghose – Dhubri, appointed on November 20, 2008.

7. Inspector (UB) Nabajit Talukdar – Barpeta, appointed on November 19, 2008.

8. Inspector (UB) Kamakhya Mishra – Kamrup, appointed on November 19, 2008.

9. Inspector (UB) Aminul Islam – Barpeta, appointed on November 27, 2008.

10. Inspector (UB) Sasadhar Kalita – Baksa, appointed on November 25, 2008.

11. Inspector (UB) Sariful Rahman – Sonitpur, appointed on November 20, 2008.

12. Inspector (UB) Uddipta Kalita – Kamrup, appointed on November 20, 2008.

13. Inspector (UB) Nilima Boro – Nalbari, appointed on November 21, 2008.

14. Inspector (UB) Bhanita Das – Kamrup, appointed on November 20, 2008.

15. Inspector (UB) Rinku Moni Kalita – Barpeta, appointed on November 19, 2008.

16. Inspector (UB) Twinkle Goswami – Kamrup, appointed on November 19, 2008.

17. Inspector (UB) Sunita Deka – Kamrup, appointed on November 19, 2008.

18. Inspector (UB) Anjan Choudhury – Barpeta, appointed on November 27, 2008 (discharged on September 18, 2009).

19. Inspector (UB) Dipankar Saikia – Jorhat, appointed on November 21, 2008 (discharged on August 17, 2013).

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