The Government of Manipur has been shouting for a corruption free state. However, it seems the actions and words of the present government don’t go hand in hand. It is shocking to know that the Government of Manipur has been using all its energy to restore the previous 2016 exam which was scandalous.
By Arbind Salam
Group of Aspirants hereby appeal the government of Manipur, the MPSC and other concerned authorities to take up necessary efforts to ensure the pending SLPs at the Supreme Court of India regarding MCSCC (mains) examination 2016 which was scandalized with blatant manipulations, irregularities and illegalities, may come to end in the interest of aspirants, youth and welfare of the state.
It is pertinent to mention that the said exam was quashed and set aside by the Hon’ble High Court of Manipur, dated 18-10-2019. Further, MPSC and some of the selected candidates filed a special leave petition against the order of the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court of India upheld the order dated 18-10-2019 of the Hon’ble High Court of Manipur and dismissed the SLP on three occasions, stating that the irregularities of the exam go to the root of the matter, and MPSC was directed to conduct the MCSCC mains exam 2016 as early as possible. Accordingly, the candidates which were selected from the said examination were terminated from their posts.
A new ground of litigation has been initiated afresh by the state of Manipur and some of selected candidates by filing review petitions challenging the order dated 18-10-2019 on the ground that the sons and daughters of the members of the second enquiry committee took part in the MCSCC(prelims) exam 2016, and hence there is conflict of interest and claiming the report is tainted.
The Group of Aspirants believe in the legal proceedings and hope that this new round of litigation will be over at the earliest so that the fate of many students which has been hanging in balance due to these never ending litigations.
Mentions may be that the said review petitions were dismissed both on maintainability and merits by the High Court of Manipur after hearing arguments from both sides on 17.12.2020. Challenging the dismissals of the review petitions the State as well as some of the selected candidates have now filed SLPs in the Supreme Court of India.
The next hearing of the said SLPs has been posted on 10.12.2021. Considering the importance of the matter that it will decide the fate of aspirants as well as that of the state, the Group of Aspirants appeal to the state of Manipur, MPSC, and all the concerned authorities to try at their best level to resolve the matter at the earliest.
Further, Group of Aspirants appeal to all the concerned authorities to solve the issue of MCSCC (main) exam 2016 at the earliest so that the pending MCSCC (prelims) exam 2019 can also be conducted smoothly without any controversy as soon as possible. The onus is on the MPSC to show that they can conduct exams without any controversies, and the best to do so can be gauges from the way MPSC shall be conducting the 2016 Mains exam afresh which is to be taken part by around 1000 candidates.
It is understood that for the 2016 exam, the Preliminary exam is already over while for 2019, prelims is yet to be conducted. It would be a travesty of justice if an exam for which prelims is over and Mains is about to start is put in cold storage and if out of the blue prelims for 2019 is conducted.
Furthermore, it is more important to note herein that in both 2016 as well as 2019, the same procedures, guidelines will be used. If there is a lacunae in the said rules, there will be fresh controversy in the 2019 exam.
The Government of Manipur has been shouting for a corruption free state. However, it seems the actions and words of the present government don’t go hand in hand. It is shocking to know that the Government of Manipur has been using all its energy to restore the previous 2016 exam which was scandalous. The least expectation any educated citizens will have in such a scenario is for the government to do an investigation and bring out the culprits and punish them as per law.
However, the state rather has been burning midnight oil to restore the controversy filled exam and reinstate the terminated candidates. If such is the action of the state, no wonder any public spirited citizens cannot dream of a corruption free recruitment especially from this government. The Group of Aspirants always stands for the welfare of the aspirants and as well as the public.
(Arbind Salam is the convenor of Group of Aspirants)