Shillong, June 3: Over 27 aggrieved employees of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Tuesday demanded the Voice of the People Party (VPP)-led executive committee (EC) to reconsider its decision to revoke the order to regularise their services and allow them to continue only as casual workers.
This came after an order was issued by the secretary to the KHADC EC on May 30 stating that regularisation of their services has been revoked with effect from June 1, as the same has been done de hors the applicable rules. However, the casual appointment shall continue.
Terming the order as highly unacceptable, the aggrieved employees met the chief executive member (CEM) of KHADC S Rynjah and demanded his EC to reconsider and review its decision on revoking their regularisation as permanent staff of the council.
The services of most of the affected employees, working in the different departments including enforcement, were regularised by the previous executive committee-led by the National People’s Party (NPP) in 2023-2024 after they have served as casual employees for more than six-seven years.
“Nowhere you will see that staff, who were already regularised, would be asked to continue as casual again,” the aggrieved employees told reporters after meeting with the CEM.
“Moreover before taking the decision, they should have called us first. If the council is facing financial constraints we will understand. Whether it is old or new EC, policy should align with the interest of the council and staff. During the tenure of the old EC, we never had any issues especially relating to fund for release of salary but now this new EC, they are complaining so much about financial crisis.
The previous EC despite fund constraints, have always tried to generate fund to address issues but why this new EC just because there is no fund does it mean that they have the right to revoke or terminate the staff?” they asked.
The aggrieved employees further demanded, “We want the CEM to immediate revoke his decision. If he wants to come up and implement his new policy let it be done prospectively but not retrospectively.”
“Everyone knows that almost all employees here are appointed not based on interviews or examinations. So if the new EC wants to terminate, it should terminate everybody, it cannot just pick and choose,” they stated.
Asked, the aggrieved employees said they will decide on whether to approach the court for its intervention on the matter.
An enforcement constable Khrawbor Mawlong informed that the CEM could not give a satisfactory clarification but only told them that the EC cannot revoke its decision.
