Orissa High Court today directed Odisha Home Secretary U N Behera to depose before it on July 4 to explain as to why contempt proceedings shall not be initiated against him for non-compliance of its 2006 order pertaining to recruitment of constables.
The high court in December 2012, after quashing a State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) order, had asked the state to redraw a fresh merit list of selected candidates to fill up 'unreserved' posts which were diverted to 'reserved' category candidates.
However, when the state did not act upon it, a contempt petition was filed against the Home Secretary in the High Court.
On the basis of an advertisement issued in December 2006, the Odisha government filled up as many as 2605 posts of constables in which Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) candidates cornered 27 per cent of the posts, instead of 11.25 per cent posts actually reserved for them.
More than 100 general candidates then approached the SAT challenging the recruitment process. They also alleged that the general candidates are deprived of some 16 per cent of unreserved posts for a faulty decision of the state.
In September 2007, the SAT invalidated the recruitment process but allowed those recruited in excess of quota to continue on such posts as ad hoc appointees until their regularisation is made against future 'reserved' vacancies.
This decision of SAT was again challenged in the High Court by general students. The High Court summarily quashed it asking the state to stick to the exact percentage of quota and redraw a fresh merit list.
