HC seeks govt response on filling of posts in Education Department
The HP High Court yesterday granted one week to a Deputy Advocate General for the state to obtain instructions regarding the status of the process to fill the posts of Junior Office Assistant (JAO).
During the course of hearing, the court was informed that the Finance Department had already concurred with the Administrative Department’s proposal for filling 400 posts of JOA in the Education Department in the first phase subject to the completion of all codel formalities and the approval of the Cabinet.
On the other hand, the Deputy Advocate General contended that since the process of restructuring schools was underway, it would not be possible to fill the posts.
A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Satyen Vaidya rejected the submissions of the state counsel and stated that “we do not find any substance in the arguments of the Deputy Advocate General, given the fact that 767 posts are lying vacant and it cannot be disputed that these are functional posts. Furthermore, the process to fill at least half of the total number of posts can be initiated when the restructuring is to take place before the commencement of the new academic session.”
The court granted a week to the Deputy Advocate General to obtain instructions on the issue and listed the matter for further hearing on December 26. The court passed the order on a public interest litigation relating to the filling of more than 2,000 posts of JOA and Librarian in the state.
