Bhubaneswar: The State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) on Thursday issued an interim stay on the decision of the Balangir district administration to declare the appointment of 169 revenue inspectors (RIs), assistant revenue inspectors (ARIs) and amins made in 2013, as null and void.
The SAT in its order said the decision violates Sub sec 2 under Sec 311 of CrPC. The administration cannot take the decision without listening to the arguments of the candidates.
Earlier in the day, Balangir collector M Muthukumar said, “As per the instructions of the RDC, Northern Division, Sambalpur, 169 candidates appointed vide letter number 1222/Estt and 1225/Estt dated June 22, 2013 have been terminated from their services with immediate effect.”
It may be mentioned that the Revenue and Disaster Management department in a letter to the Balangir collector and the RDC, Northern Division on February 4, had directed them to declare the appointment of RIs, ARIs, and amins in the district as null and void.
Notably, the district administration had conducted a written test for appointment of 169 posts of RI, ARI and amin on June 9, 2013. The results of the test were declared within three days after conducting a computer test.
However, several candidates later expressed dissatisfaction over the results of the test and had alleged of irregularities. They had also alleged that the answer sheets were tampered with at the collector’s residence.
Following reports in the media that the answer sheets of the test were allegedly kept in the residence of the then district collector Debraj Mishra instead of being kept in the strong room as per standard operating procedure, the state government had ordered a RDC level probe. Later, the Crime Branch police and the State Vigilance probed into the alleged irregularities following which cases were registered against the then Bolangir collector Debraj Mishra, three BDOs and a deputy collector.
Following the complicity of Mishra in the irregularities, he was later arrested.