The Kerala High Court on Thursday directed all appointments regularising those who have completed 10 years in semi-government and other such bodies as temporary staff, to be stayed. The HC intervened after six petitions sought the intervention of the court in the wake of allegations of back door appointments by the state government.
Many people who secured good ranks in the Public Service Commission selection had alleged that poltical parties, and in particular the CPI(M) appointed their people as temporary staff and then gave them permanent postings after a few years. They allege that these temporary postings are used to deprived many rank holders of their jobs.
The court's order will be applicable to those posts where the posting procedures are currently on and not to those who have already joined work. The court has posted the case for further hearing on March 12.
The Congress led opposition and the BJP have been holding protests across the state against regularising temporary employees who have completed 10 years service in state’s public sector and semi-government organisations. The opposition parties are against the regularisation alleging that new appointments have not been made by the Kerala Public Service Commission -- the Constitutional body that makes appointments to all government posts.
For the past one month the state Secretariat has been witnessing massive protests organised by candidates who have secured place in PSC rank lists. However, earlier this week, Last Grade Servants (LSG) rank holders ended their 34 days long protest, after discussion with Law Minister AK Balan. The LSG rank holders had stated that the Minister has responded favourably and that was why they were ending the protest. But the Civil Police Officers rank holders are still continuing their protest.
Over the past one month, Thiruvananthapuram has witnessed multiple clashes with protest led by the Opposition parties turning violent. The main demand of the protesters is to extend the validity of the rank lists. Many had also voiced their opinion against regularisation of temporary employees. However, the state government had stated that rank holders are being misguided by the opposition parties.
(With inputs from IANS)