SRINAGAR The KAS-2016 aspirants on Thursday staged a protest against financial irregularities of Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), urging Governor and Chief Justice to investigate the financial irregularities of JKPSC and provide them legal aid in the process of fighting against JKPSC.
The aspirants staged a protest and chanted slogans in favour of justice at Srinagar’s Press Enclave.
On 4th December, 2018 JKPSC declared the results of KAS mains 2016 and aggrieved aspirants approached the commission with complaints. However, the commission turned down their grievances, the protesters said.
Then the aspirants hit the streets so that their voices should reach to each and every authority of the state. Finally, they approached HC through PIL route as aspirants were not having financial resources required in writ petition route, they added.
Aspirants thanked judiciary especially Chief Justice who took Suo Moto cognizance of their PIL and stayed the interview process, the last leg of KAS examination.
However, JKPSC filed SLP in SC against the maintainability of PIL in service matters in HC and challenged the HC Suo Moto cognizance of PIL filed by aggrieved aspirants. In this process JKPSC hired Shyam Divan, top most lawyer of country in civil matter by reportedly paying 15-20 lac for just a single hearing.
Where from JKPSC took the money? Why JKPSC have not appeared with their counsel who is paid by the state in SC? What is the purpose of having state lawyers then if JKPSC resorts to hiring private lawyers? When state is reeling under financial stress and not going for any public expenditure and JKPSC is spending money in extravagance must be held accountable for financial irregularities. When the budget for 2017-18 has approved only 5.25 lakhs and JKPSC spent Rs 78,9500 as legal fees. In financial year 2016-17, the legal budget was Rs 7 lakhs and commission spent Rs 14,70,300 as legal expenses. The million dollar question here arises why this loot of public money by JKPSC. Why there is no financial audit on JKPSC spending? aspirants questioned.
Blessing in disguise for aggrieved KAS aspirants in the process of JKPSC approaching SC is that the apex court upheld the Suo Moto cognisance of PIL by HC and ordered that HC is free to decide the PIL on the merits on 21st January, they added.
On the other hand, it stayed the KAS appointments and allowed only completion of selection process by JKPSC, they said, adding that means unless and until all the petitions and writ petitions regarding the KAS 2016 are not disposed off the appointments can’t be issued. Was this the motive behind JKPSC to approach SC? Why JKPSC is doing all activities in an irregular fashion.
JKPSC, controller of examinations is mandated to conduct examination and not fighting legal cases. How he reportedly spend more than 15 days in Delhi in five star hotels and enjoyed all funs on public money? When an official appointed to conduct exams involves himself to save the broken nose of commission flies to Delhi for conducting plastic surgery on public money leads to delay in the exam process as JKPSC commission and officials have no professional and job ethics and integrity, they said.
Why JKPSC has shown activism in this particular litigation and when more than 500 cases against JKPSC are pending in HC and SC, they added. Isn’t it a clear indication that some corrupt bureaucrats, politicians, lawyers and moneyed people having their wards in the interview list through muscle and money power now offered money to JKPSC to move to SC to exhaust these poor KAS aggrieved aspirants. When only 7 days were to go for hearing the PIL in HC on 28 January, why so hurry. Why JKPSC can’t wait for 7 days and moved to SC with money power against an interim order? If JKPSC was so confident and fair why not they resorted to get the PIL dismissed in HC? It all shows the misuse of public money and institutions? No individual can use his hard earned money this way as JKPSC is spending, they said.
All these efforts of JKPSC are calculated to exhaust poor KAS aggrieved aspirants as they are fighting against a lawlessness monster called JKPSC, they said.
We have filed several RTI requesting the information regarding the expenses in the scanning process and digital evaluation of KAS mains 2016 but information is not been provided yet. We request Governor and Chief Justice to carry out an investigation into the financial irregularities of JKPSC and provide us legal aid in the process of fighting against JKPSC, the aggrieved aspirants said.
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