Saurabh Malik
Tribune press service
Chandigarh, June 21
The decision of the Punjab Cabinet to award government posts to the sons of party MPs Fatehjang Singh Bajwa and Rakesh Pandey was submitted to a forensic scanner today with the filing of a public interest petition in the High Court of Punjab and Haryana.
Decision in favor of “influential and rich people”, according to the petitioner
The lawsuit filed by lawyer Bikramjit Singh Bajwa against the Union of India, the Home Office and other defendants, was “mentioned” in the High Court this morning for being heard because of an element of urgency linked to the case. He was accepted for audition during the current summer recess and is expected to be examined before a division bench this week.
Among other things, Bajwa – who filed the petition in person – asked the respondents for directions to curb the requested appointments on compassionate grounds.
Among other things, Bajwa argued that the decision to give government jobs was in violation of the policy governing compassionate appointments. In addition, the decision came after a delay of 37 years in favor of “very influential and rich people” who were the legal heirs of the deputies.
Bajwa further argued that appointments to the public posts of inspector and naib tehsildar could not be given in an arbitrary and unconstitutional manner. This was particularly relevant because hundreds of eligible people, who had lost their father or breadwinner in the exercise of their duty to the state, were ignored.
In his “commendation plea,” Bajwa said, “Prayer is to list the case during the holidays as public appointments are made in haste. Those who have been selected are already well off after a gap of 37 years.
