Eight-member Parliamentary committee on Wednesday held a meeting with Nagaland Assembly Secretariat Staff Association (NASSA) and Joint Action Committee (JAC), which had been protesting against the appointment of Dr. PJ Antony (a retired officer) as administrative head of the department and arbitrary amendment of service rules, for almost two weeks now.
The panel headed by Chotisuh Sazo, MLA (former speaker) as convenor, has seven other members, ministers– Metsubo Jamir, Tongpang Ozukum; advisors H Khehovi Yeputhomi, Mhathung Yanthan, KT Sukhalu, Medo Yhokha and Dr. Imtiwapang, MLA.
According to sources, the panel requested NASSA to keep the stir in abeyance and resume work. However, the agitating bodies said they were now mainly on the lookout to prevent Dr. Anthony from entering the assembly complex. The panel reportedly assured NASSA that it would not let Antony enter the NLA complex until everything was resolved. The committee further assured the two bodies that it would soon hold another meeting with them.
HC hearing on June 21: Meanwhile, Gauhati High Court Kohima Bench heard the petition filed by NASSA on Wednesday. HC fixed the next hearing for June 21.
Cancel service extension of Antony, demands NSF
Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has sought immediate intervention of the NLA speaker to ensure that the notification extending the service length of Dr. PJ Antony was rescinded without further delay.
In a letter to the speaker, NSF vice president Atokiho Sumi and secretary education Medovi Rhi objected to the extension of Antony’s service as principal secretary of the NLA secretariat.
NSF stated that the promotion accorded to him as the head of department, despite him being a superannuated Central government employee was “truly unfortunate”, which it said needed to be rectified without any delay. NSF stated that if his service was “so deemed indispensable”, an alternative arrangement (either in the capacity of a consultant or otherwise) to retain his service should be the way forward and not the present arrangement
NSF alleged that the officer in question had been overriding the ban imposed by the State government on extension of service and reemployment of government servants who had attained the age of superannuation on completion of 35 of service or otherwise.