CM Himanta Biswa Sarma called the Gauhati HC order reinstating 52 scam-tainted APSC officials “painful” and confirmed the state will appeal in the Supreme Court. The scam involved bribes for government jobs in 2013–14.
Guwahati: On June 21, the Assam government has decided to approach the Supreme Court challenging the Gauhati High Court’s recent decision ordering the reinstatement of 52 government officials who were previously dismissed for their alleged involvement in the infamous cash-for-job scam in the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) examinations.
This announcement was made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday, expressing serious concern and dissatisfaction with the High Court’s ruling.
The scam dates back to the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE) conducted by the APSC for the 2013 and 2014 batches.
The Gauhati High Court, in a judgment passed on Friday, directed the state government to reinstate 52 of the 57 dismissed officers from the civil services, police services, and other allied services who had been terminated due to their alleged role in the recruitment scam.
The court stated that those officers who had successfully completed their probation period must be reinstated within 50 days.
However, it also gave the government the liberty to not assign any duties to these reinstated officers for 30 days and conduct departmental inquiries during that time if required.
Reacting to the judgment, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing reporters at an event in Baksa held on the occasion of International Day of Yoga, said:
“The judgement by the division bench on the APSC matter is painful and has led to disappointment for us.”
He also added:
“I haven’t seen the judgment but from what I have read in newspapers, if it is correct, it (the judgement) is unfortunate.”
Sarma highlighted that the state is currently focused on ensuring only fair and merit-based recruitment to public services.
He expressed concern that reinstating officials who allegedly secured their jobs through corrupt means would undermine the state’s efforts to uphold integrity in public employment.
He firmly said:
“We will definitely appeal before the Supreme Court and will try the last moment to ensure that no one who had got their job through the wrong way are reinstated.”
The APSC recruitment scam, which shook the state, first came to light in 2016. During the police investigation, more than 70 people were arrested, including the former APSC chairman Rakesh Kumar Paul and 57 state civil service officers who were allegedly selected through corrupt practices like bribery.
These arrests were made after detailed probes revealed massive irregularities in the selection process, where jobs were allegedly sold in exchange for cash.
The High Court’s latest order has triggered a fresh debate over judicial intervention in administrative matters, especially in cases involving corruption and public trust.
The Assam government, which has been projecting itself as committed to clean governance, now finds itself in a legal and moral dilemma following the court’s directive.
While the court has given the option of internal inquiry, the state administration appears to be leaning towards challenging the verdict at the highest judicial forum in the country.
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