NSF reiterates demand for termination of irregular & illegal govt appointments

Morung Express NewsKohima | October 12The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has reiterated its demand for the termination of irregular and illegal government appointments in Nagaland, stating that it has identified 109 cases across 16 departments and that the government has assured action against employees found to have been appointed in violation of established recruitment procedures.Addressing a press conference following a meeting with the Cabinet Sub Committee on October 12, NSF president Mteisuding said the federation had taken the issue seriously as irregular appointments deprived deserving youths of fair opportunities in government employment.He said the federation had submitted an ultimatum to the state government on March 20, 2026, demanding the termination of all illegal appointees. Following the government’s response and subsequent assurances, the NSF had kept its agitation on hold while awaiting action.The meeting was chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Home and Border Affairs, Y Patton and attended by Minister G Kaito Aye, Advisor Dr Kekhrie Yhome, Principal Secretary of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR), and officials from the concerned departments.According to the NSF, the committee assured the delegation that appointments found to be illegal would be terminated.109 appointments identified across 16 departmentsProviding details of the cases, NSF representatives said the 109 appointments comprised 13 appointments made through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) between 2018-2021, and 96 appointments under the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) between 2019- 2023.The federation alleged that the appointments violated the Office Memorandums issued on June 6, 2016, and April 22, 2020, as well as provisions governing recruitment through the NPSC and NSSB.The NSF recalled its campaign against irregular appointments to August 21, 2019, when it submitted a representation to the Chief Minister seeking a blanket ban on government appointments until the establishment of the NSSB. The federation said the move was intended to promote transparency and ensure that recruitment was based on merit.Government reports terminations and resignationsThe NSF, Mteisuding said, was informed that action had already been taken against some of the employees whose appointments were included in the list of 109 cases.Among the non-NPSC Group C posts, two employees had been terminated while two had resigned. The posts included Expert Weaver and Distillation Assistant under the Department of Industries and Commerce, two Lower Division Assistant under the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, and Nagaland State Transport.In the NPSC category, three employees had been terminated and one had resigned involving three Junior Engineer posts under PHED and an Assistant Station Superintendent post under Nagaland State Transport, according to the federation.The NSF said the government had also informed it that some employees included in the list had subsequently been regularised or appointed on compassionate grounds.These include seven regularisations under the Department of Agriculture and Urban Development, one compassionate appointment under Industries and Commerce, seven appointments under Rule 3, Clause 3, associated with the NSSB framework and the Department of Agriculture, one appointment of the next of kin of a victim of a firing incident under the Works and Housing Department, and three Group D appointments with government approval under the Food and Civil Supplies and Public Health Engineering departments.The federation said it would examine the basis on which these appointments had been regularised or made, and assess whether the government’s explanations were consistent with the applicable rules.NSF demands action against 30 employeesThe federation said eight individuals continued to occupy NPSC-related posts despite allegedly having been recruited outside the commission’s prescribed recruitment process.The posts included two forestry in the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; one Platoon Commander and one Assistant District Commandant under the Home Guards and Civil Defence Department; two Assistant Station Superintendent posts under Nagaland State Transport; one Information Assistant post under Information and Public Relations and one Stenographer post under Works and Housing.The NSF said the Cabinet Sub-Committee had assured it that these eight employees would be terminated, while it demanded that the government act on the assurance without delay.It also identified 22 employees occupying NSSB posts who, according to the federation, had been appointed after the board was constituted. In this regard, the NSF called for their immediate termination, arguing that the appointments had bypassed the prescribed recruitment process.The federation further said 47 of the 109 appointments had been made after its August 31, 2019 representation seeking a ban on recruitment pending the establishment of the NSSB, but before the board was formally constituted.While the Cabinet Sub-Committee had asked the NSF to reconsider these cases, the NSF maintained that it would examine the circumstances of each appointment and take a decision based on the merits of the cases.Vacant posts should go to NPSC and NSSBReiterating its position, the NSF demanded that all appointments found to be illegal or irregular be terminated, irrespective of the mode through which the employees were recruited.It also called for all sanctioned posts vacated following termination or resignation to be referred immediately to the NPSC or NSSB for open recruitment, ensuring that eligible candidates could compete for the positions.The federation said it would submit a second list of alleged irregular appointments covering departments beyond the 16 already under scrutiny. It added that it is also examining departments that remain outside the purview of the NSSB and that it had been discussing possible mechanisms with the state government to bring them under the board’s recruitment framework.The Federation asserted that it would continue pursuing cases of appointments made outside the prescribed recruitment systems.It has appealed to members of the public to share information about suspected irregularities in government departments, assuring them that the identities of those providing information would be kept confidential.The Federation said its campaign was not directed against individuals but against a system that undermined fairness, transparency and merit-based selection. It has urged appointees who were aware of irregularities in their recruitment to take moral responsibility and voluntarily step down rather than prolong disputes at the expense of young people seeking government employment.Meanwhile, the NSF also thanked the Cabinet Sub-Committee and the state government for taking up the issue, while urging them to ensure that the assurances given during the meeting translated into concrete action.The federation further assured that it will not shy away from addressing injustice that is meted to the youth and the students’ community.