Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said here on Monday that the United Democratic Front (UDF), if elected to power, would bring out legislation to prevent back-door appointments in government jobs. The draft of the proposed law was ready, and the front would review all illegal appointments, he said.
Accusing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government of conducting a ‘Kumbh Mela’ of back-door appointments, Mr. Chennithala said it would be made mandatory for all heads of departments to report their vacancies to the Public Service Commission (PSC) once in six months.
‘Criminal offence’
“Our proposed Bill will consider the failure in reporting of vacant posts as a criminal offence,” he told mediapersons here. Mr. Chennithala’s Aishwarya Kerala Yatra received a warm reception in the district on Monday.
The Congress leader said that criminal proceedings would be initiated against those making temporary appointments while a PSC rank list is in place, and against those failing to report vacancies to the PSC. “It will be a cognizable offence stipulating imprisonment from three months to two years.”
He alleged that the LDF government made nearly three lakh back-door and temporary appointments during the last four-and-a-half years. “The LDF has denied jobs to at least three lakh qualified youngsters,” he said. Mr. Chennithala said that former MP M.B. Rajesh was in the forefront to besmear the three Malayalam subject experts who spoke up against an illegal appointment given to his wife at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady.
“These subject experts were all Left supporters. Now they are being portrayed as offenders for finding the fraud by Mr. Rajesh’s wife,” he said.