Corruption case filed against PWD for illegal recruitments

PANJIM: 41 technical assistants have been recruited in the PWD even though the government and the finance department advertised for 33 posts. 26 of these recruitments were done from Ponda taluka, the home of the PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar. Two of his MLAs from the MGP are also from the same taluka.

There were only 33 posts of technical assistants published in the advertisements on two occasions, 22 posts on December 18, 2012 and 11 posts on December 2, 2013. The Supreme Court in the Anupamdas & others v/s State of Assam and others has ruled that that filling of vacancies over and above the number of vacancies advertised would be violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under article 14 and 16 of the constitution of India and that such selection could not claim appointments as a matter of right. 

It has also revealed from the information which was sought under RTI Act that there was no government’s approval taken by the PWD before the recruitment process of these technical assistant. 

The case of corruption under Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 has already been filed at ACB by social activist Sudip Tamankar, who pointed out that all the candidates who were present for the test were given 65 marks. “But there is manipulation in the oral marks which has been done to help favourite candidates who have fulfilled the demand of the minister. The agency should also investigate whether ARD approval or cabinet approval, finance and government approval has been sought by PWD before the recruitments” the complainant said.

However P P Borkar, Principal Chief Engineer PWD said that the department has the sanction from government to recruit these technical assistant. “We have all necessary documentation and even the sanction of the government. The numbers were increased due to the vacancies created in due time” he said.