Don’t stay hiring by MPSC before hearing us out: State to judiciary

The frequent stays imposed by courts on Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) recruitment without consultation have miffed the state government facing shortage of staff in important departments such as police and Food and Drug Administration.

It has decided to overcome the problem.

“To ensure none of our recruitment drives is stayed, all administrative departments as well as MPSC have been asked to file a caveat that no stay should be imposed on the recruitment process without hearing the respective department or MPSC,” principal secretary general (adminstration department) K P Bakshi said.

The decision was taken at a meeting presided over by chief secretary Jayant Kumar Banthia in November.

The state government recruits through MPSC. Various departments convery manpower requirement to MPSC, which issues ads.

Candidates who do not meet the minimum qualification approach courts. When the requirement process is completed, those missing from the merit list also approach courts and manage to get stays.

“Court orders stall the recruitment process, many times even after the selection stage has been completed. This delays recruitment till there is a judgment,” Bakshi said.

Many important state departments, including police, have a severe backlog when it comes to recruiting personnel.

The problem started after the 2001 MPSC scam in which money was taken for recruitment.

Since then, selection of mid-level police such as sub-inspectors has been stalled three times due to litigation.

Food and Drug Authority too has not recruited inspectors since 1997. It had selected 83 candidates thorugh MPSC, but the process was challenged in

... contd.