TWO JUDGE BENCH OF UTTARAKHAND HIGH COURT SETS ASIDE SINGLE JUDGE BENCH ORDER VINDICATING TERMINATION OF SERVICES of 228 ADHOC APPOINTEES IN ASSEMBLY !

The Uttarakhand High Court has in its latest decision turn down the order of the single judge bench of Justice Manoj Dutt Tiwari revoking the orders of the committee formed by Uttarakhand speaker Ritu Khanduri terminating the 228 adhoc appointments of Uttarakhand assembly and the latter not accepting it, ( single judge bench order ) terming her committee’s decision as fully logical, legal and constitutional, uncaring of any consequences.

However the latest Uttarakhand High Court decision by the division bench of justice Vipin Sanghvi and Ramesh Chandra Khulbe set aside the orders of the single judge bench that put the stay on the decision of Uttarakhand speaker to terminate the services of 228 adhoc employees of Uttarakhand assembly allegedly appointed illegally and unconstitutionally between 2015 to 2022.

This latest decision of High Court has definitely brought a great sigh of relief to Speaker Ritu Khanduri.

It may be recalled that after lot of hue and cry and tremendous media hype on the arbitrary back door appointments in Vidhan Sabha by the former speakers Govind Singh Kunjwal and Prem Aggrawal – the current Uttarakhand assembly speaker Ritu Khanduri had formed a high level committee on the advise of Uttarakhand CM to investigate these appointments and after the in depth probe, the committee had found appointments as arbitrary under the tenure of Congress as well as BJP rule when Govind Kunjwal and Prem Aggrawal were speakers of the UK assembly.

After the decision of the committee formed by Uttarakhand Speaker Ritu Khanduri these appointments were revoked terminating the services of about 228 appointees on various positions in Uttarakhand assembly. This decision was challenged in the state High Court by the terminated employees. But it went against them after the orders of two judge bench that over ruled the single judge bench order setting aside its stay order against termination of 228 adhoc appointments in Uttarakhand assembly.

However, those appointees whose services were terminated have complained that from 2002 to 2015 there had been 396 appointments in Uttarakhand Vidhan Sabha on adhoc basis but their services were later on regularised and had not been touched in terms of any terminatory action whereas the services of 228 appointees after 2015 -17 have been terminated.

This is a clear cut case of injustice and two different parametres of justice for the same adhoc appointees in Uttarakhand Assembly which is totally unjustifiable.

Lauding the verdict of Uttarakhand High Court – Speaker Ritu Khanduri while expressing her satisfaction and jubilation said that justice has ultimately prevailed and I am pleased with the honourable high court’s order. She added : I was fighting against these unconstitutional appointments , rules and regulations not against any individual.

It may be recalled that these appointments were done through back door during the speaker ship of Govind Kunjwal as well as Prem Chand Aggrawal including their sons n daughters n close relatives as well.

This scam was divulged after the massive scam of UKSSSC was disclosed in which till now about forty arrests have been made including the former chairman of UKSSSC Mr. RBS Rawat and Mr. Kuniyal secretary etc. About 21,may be more culprits of UKSSSC recruitment, paper leaked and cheating scam have been granted bail after being booked under various serious sections of IPC.