Imphal, October 12: The Gauhati High Court, Imphal bench, in its vacation siting today stayed the earlier order dated October 5 of the court which had directed the state government to retain the contract services of 50 veterinary officers which had been terminated by the government.

Justice N Surjamani Singh had issued the earlier order on October 5 after hearing an unlisted petition filed by those 50 veterinary officers, whose services had been terminated at the motion stage on October 3.The single-bench order had quashed the two state government orders and asked the authorities to allow the services of the 50 officers to continue till the posts arc filled up on regular basis with a consolidated remuneration of Rs 3000 per month.

The said judgement had been passed following a joint petition by the concerned 50 officers who challenged the termination orders of the state government dated August 10 and September 3 on the pica that their contract services were covered under a Centrally-sponsored scheme and the scheme was not yet completed.

The judgement had quashed the two government orders with a direction to restore the contract services of the officers.

However; the state government filed an appeal against the judgement dated October 5 pleading that there was no Centrally-sponsored scheme which covered the contract services of the said officers and that the government had turned down a draft annual plan proposed by the veterinary department in connection with the said services.

Justice H Kaminikumar Singh, after hearing appeal, today passed the interim stay order which stated that the order dated October 5 shall not be given effect until the matter is taken up and appropriate order is passed by the court.

It may be mentioned that the said 50 veterinary officers were appointed in May, 1999, on contract basis for a period of six months.

Following the appointment, their services were extended from time to time, the last of which was effected on August 26, 1999.At this stage, some unemployed qualified candidates had challenged the extension order in the High Court.

On the other hand, the said 50 officers also pleaded in another case for converting their contract services into ad hoc or regular ones.

Incidentally, it was Justice N Surjamani Singh who had dismissed the plea.

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