Himachal court seeks report on 'illegal' appointments

Shimla, June 26 IANS) The Himachal Pradesh High Court has asked the state government to provide details regarding investigation into the alleged illegal recruitments by the state government between 1993-98.

Acting on a petition of former Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Board chairman S.M. Katwal, a division bench of Chief Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Kuldip Singh, in an order made available Wednesday, directed the investigating officer in the case to remain present in court with the records July 1, the next date of hearing.

The bench June 24 asked the state to prepare details of the nature of investigation conducted into the case from November 2005 onwards.

The petitioner alleged that despite registration of a first information report on the high court's directions Nov 11, 2005 no investigation was being done in the case after the court stopped monitoring it after disposing off his petition May 22, 2008.

"We fail to understand as to what prevented the government to cancel illegal appointments or to take action against the persons who were instrumental in making such appointments," said the court Nov 7, 2005.

"We, therefore, direct the vigilance department to register a case and the investigation shall be entrusted to an officer not less than the rank of superintendent of police," the court had said.