Port Blair, Jan 10: The representatives of Unemployed Youths of the Islands called on the Chief Secretary, Mr. Anand Prakash on Jan 10, 2014, and discussed various issues relating to job opportunities including reservation of Group-B (Non-gazetted) and Group-C posts in Govt. to the islanders. Senior Officers of the Administration were also present. After hearing their grievances the Chief Secretary on behalf of the Administration informed the following:-
Equality of opportunity has been provided for all citizens of the country under Article-16 of the Constitution in the matters of employment or appointment to any office. The Constitution specifically prohibits any discrimination on the grounds of sex, religion, race, caste, descent, place of birth, residence or any of them. However, only the Parliament can make a law prescribing any requirement as to residence within a State or U.T, as pre-condition of employment in that State or U.T, prior to such employment or appointment. The Parliament had enacted in the past such a law in respect of certain States. The Lt. Governor has directed the Administration to take up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs to get enacted a special law prescribing residence criteria for public employment in these islands. The Administration will get formulated a proposal in consultation with all interested persons and parties and will send it to the Central Government for early action. The Chief Secretary recalled that recently Home Minister had positively responded to the request made on this issue by the Lt. Governor.
Since the process of enacting the law in the Parliament may take some time, it has also been decided to consult all the interested persons in the islands to suggest suitable procedures and criterion, as a stop-gap arrangement, which can be adopted for the benefit of the islanders in getting Government jobs which should also stand to legal scrutiny and proceed accordingly.
CS suggested that the specific issues relating to filling up of the Group-B (Non Gazetted) and Group-C posts in Departments like Health, Education etc., could be discussed by the interested persons /parties with the concerned Secretaries to the Administration. To have a wider consultation, a meeting will be held in the afternoon of 20th Jan, 2014, in the Secretariat, wherein the views and suggestions will be solicited by the Senior Officers of the Administration.
It was clarified to the youths that contrary to what was being claimed by some, there was no provision for receiving applications online. Only the form could be downloaded. Even for future, online applications are not being visualized.
The Chief Secretary informed the gathering that blocking of thoroughfares in the name of agitation amounted to violation of fundamental right of movement of citizens and in future strict action would be taken against those who violate the law of the land. He informed that the Administration had already identified a location at Tiranga Park to host all such gatherings to express their voices.
The gathering thanked the Chief Secretary and the Administration for the positive response given.
However, after reaching the protest site the delegation discussed the matter with other members and it was decided that as no assurance was given on writing the protest would continue.
