SVC orders probe into 'irregularities' in staff selection in

State Vigilance Commission (SVC) today ordered a probe against the then chief education officer (CEO) over alleged irregularities last year in recruitment of employees in education department of Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Commission has ordered initiation of a departmental enquiry against the then CEO over alleged large-scale bungling and irregularities in recruitment of class-IV employees in Education Department of Budgam in 2015, SVC spokesman said.
"The SVC took cognisance of unfair, injudicious and arbitrary selection of class-IV employees made by the CEO after inviting applications from candidates vide advertisement and the allegations levelled in the complaint that in the said selection process there was favouritism and nepotism shown by members of the Selection Committee," the spokesman said.

Candidates who failed to get shortlisted were later, with connivance of members of selection committee and other officials, shown selected in the final recruitment list, the spokesman said, adding that the exercise puts a question mark on selection procedure.
The spokesman said an initial probe conducted in the matter revealed that there were gross violations of standing orders and norms besides favouritism and abuse of official position by the then CEO, Budgam who adopted arbitrary method for selection of the candidates.
After the initiation of enquiry by the Commission in January last year, the government quashed the selection list on 24th April, 2015, he added.

The SVC has directed Commissioner-Secretary to government, Education Department to initiate enquiry against the then CEO Budgam and others involved and submit the probe report to the Commission by May 19, 2016, the spokesman said.