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Job promotions, appointments galore as election nears
Hard on the heels of calling for nominations, the Elections Department has so far received 73 complaints of granting jobs, promotions and cases of transfers ahead of the polls, monitors said.
Over 700 arbitrary appointments made by the Education Ministry of the North Central Province has been referred to the Elections Commissioner, while arresting an attempt to transfer a number of top officials at provincial level, Rohana Hettiarachchi of People’s Action for Free and Fair Election claimed.
The North Central Province Education Ministry is said to have made over 700 appointments as guards, office assistants, lab assistants and labourers while only close to 300 vacancies exist, Joseph Stalin of the Ceylon Teachers’ Union claimed. Further, a large number of volunteer teacher appointments have been made throughout the island he said. A complaint relating to this is now being investigated by the Elections Commissioners Department.
Complaints regarding similar arbitrary appointments made at the Sri Lanka Transport Board, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Vocational Training, Cey-Nor Foundation Limited, Lanka Mineral Sands, Finance Ministry and State banks are now under investigation by the Elections Departments, an official from the department said.
The Sri Lanka Transport Board has given out appointments for computer operators and office assistants whereas they have only received approval from Elections Departments to appoint bus drivers and conductors as essential services appointments.
Cey-Nor Foundation Limited had advertised vacancies last week and made the appointments to the same during the week. An investigation on the matter has been launched by the department of elections.
Ongoing investigations have revealed that some appointments have been made manipulating dates of appointments and the dates of issue of letters, Elections Department official investigating the complaints said.
A circular issued by the Elections Commissioner this week stated that no appointments should be made without the prior approval of the Public Services Commission. Even such appointments should receive prior approval from the Elections Commissioner, the circular specified.
“Even if it has been approved by the Public Services Commission, making the appointments should not be conducted in a manner that would promote a party or any particular candidate. Nor should it be disadvantage any other party,” M.M. Mohamed Deputy Commissioner (Admin), explained.
He highlighted that government officials making the appointments should do so in a manner that would not generate any complaints accusing them of having acted with political motives.