Representative photo. Image credit - www.icommunitychurch.com

The Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) on Monday said the Nagaland Planning Machinery Service Association (NPMSA) has no legal right or moral authority to question the appointment of I. Sino Phom as an officer on special duty (OSD).

The ENSF termed the appointment of I. Sino Phom, one of its members, by the Nagaland government as the OSD to the skill development department as “legally justified” when a large number of employees have “questionable entry” into the department.

The ENSF issued a statement after the NPMSA announced to launch a phase-wise agitation till its demand for removal of the post of OSD (skill development) from the cadre post of the Nagaland Planning Machinery Service Rule, 2019, is met.

The NPMSA said inclusion of the post of OSD (skill development) in the cadre post is irrational, arbitrary and cannot be accepted as it is in violation of the judgment and order passed by the high court on May 20 this year.

ENSF president Sepili Sangtam and general secretary Imti Choba Chang, in a release, said the NPMSA has every liberty to approach the court of law instead of “blackmailing” and serving ultimatum to the government if it was so aggrieved by the decision.

The federation also asked the association to be grateful to the state government for approving the long pending Service Rules 2019 of the planning and coordination department, saying there were no approved or notified service rules of the department since its inception.

The federation said it was only on June 29 that the state cabinet had approved the Service Rules 2019 of the department basing on the Gauhati High Court order of May 20 and the Rules of Executive Business, 2016.

The federation said the court’s observation that the posts of assistant development commissioner and OSD (skill development) were not inter-transferable was correct as the post of OSD (skill development) was not mentioned in the draft Service Rules of 2010.

It said the post of OSD (skill development) was included in the Service Rules 2019 as a follow-up action on the court order of May 20 and added due process of law was followed and adhered to, including clearance from the personnel and administrative reforms department, on the matter.

The ENSF told the NPMSA that it is the prerogative of the state government to frame service rules as per the provisions of law and the employees cannot dictate terms on the matter.

Bhadra Gogoi is Northeast Now Correspondent in Nagaland. He can be reached at: [email protected]