Reported by Telegraphindia.com on June 16 2012
RTI plea opens report

Shillong, June 15: The Meghalaya government was today moved to part with the CBI report on the alleged manipulation of marks for the appointment of assistant teachers in government lower primary schools in the state.

Through an application under the RTI (right to information) Act, 2005, Agnes Kharshiing, president of Civil Society Women’s Organisation (CSWO), sought the CBI findings on the appointment of such teachers from the state education department.

On October 21 last year, the Shillong bench of Gauhati High Court had directed the investigating agency to probe alleged anomalies in the appointment of assistant teachers in government-run lower primary schools.

The sealed report, containing more than 100 pages, was submitted by the CBI to the court on March 5.

On March 14, the Shillong bench had forwarded the CBI’s inquiry report to the state education department for necessary action.

The government was subsequently required to submit an action-taken report to the court within three months from the date of receipt of the CBI report. The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on June 18.

However, the state government yesterday moved a division bench of the court seeking an order to quash the October 21, 2011, judgement.

The government had also said it was ready to appoint a high-level committee to probe the appointment of the assistant teachers and also to “segregate the good from the bad”.

However, the bench comprising Justice Anima Hazarika and Justice K. Meruno had reserved its order without fixing any particular date.

Further, Kharshiing sought a copy of all file notes with regard to the CBI report and also a copy of the order for appointing lawyers from Guwahati with regards to the case.

She also wanted to know the names of the lawyers/counsels appointed to appear for the education department, and the compensation for the lawyers.

Justice T. Vaiphei, while adjudicating on a case of nine writ petitions filed by aggrieved applicants after information obtained through the RTI, brought to light various discrepancies and manipulation in appointment of assistant teachers in 2009-10.

In 2010, a group of candidates for posts in Jowai, Jaintia Hills district, unearthed massive irregularities and manipulation in the selection and appointment of assistant teachers to lower primary schools.

As the state authorities paid no heed to their pleas, they decided to approach the court via a writ petition in April-May 2010.

Teachers from East Khasi Hills, Amlarem in Jaintia Hills and Tura and other areas under West Garo Hills followed suit. The CBI started inquiring into the allegations from November 2011.