TEAM HERALD
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PANJIM: A flying squad of the Election Commission swooped down on the Directorate of Health Services and raided the department after they received reports that the department was processing matters pertaining to recruitments to the department.
A group of job aspirants had visited the department to submit Acceptance Letters in reply to Offer Letters they claimed to have received from the Health department. The Offer letters from the health department were dated December 22, two days before the code of conduct came into force.
“The last date for replying to the offer letters was January 16 for some and January 17 for others. Keeping that in mind, they came to submit their letters. We cannot stop them from submitting their letters. But the process of recruitment has been stalled and their letters will not be processed as long as the code of conduct is in force. We will cent percent not process the applications,” an official from the health department revealed adding that the code of conduct was not violated.
The claims of the health department notwithstanding, election officials conducted a two hour inspection of documents in the health department and left saying that Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) will take an appropriate decision after examining the documents.
Collector Mihir Vardhan while briefing the media later said the flying squad has seized 18 letters of acceptance and 18 offers of appointment. The process of the raid has been video recorded and further investigation will be conducted after further instructions are received from the Election Commission.
The aspirants were mainly Class C and D aspirants who had submitted their offer letters. He also said that an explanation will be sought from the Directorate of Health Services. As per the fresh guidelines of EC, predated letters / appointment orders are not to be processed. In the event such orders have already been issued, they should not be given effect when election code of conduct is in force.
EC have also intimated the department that they can’t go head with interviews or written tests schedule fixed before election code of conduct came into effect.
* EC guidelines say recruitment process should be stalled during election code of conduct is in force.
* Health Services accepted the letters of acceptance despite this EC direction.
* Flying Squad raids directorate of health services.
* 18 offers of appointment seized are dated December 22.
* Suspicion is that letters could be pre-dated.
* Collector is awaiting further instruction from EC.
