ADC teachers plea for clemency
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 22 2012: Following State Government's decision to initiate legal action against retrenched teachers of schools under Autonomous District Councils some of the affected teachers are said to have sent feelers to withdraw court case against the Government.

In violation of the State Cabinet's decision for appointment of 278 teachers for schools under Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel, Sadar Hills and Churachandpur ADCs, a preliminary investigation led to the detection of excess appointment of 835 teachers in 2006 .

Unaware of the excess appointment these teachers were said to have enjoyed monthly salary till 2007 but based on the findings of the preliminary probe service of the excess teachers were terminated in 2009 .

Service annulment of the teachers subsequently led to these retrenched teachers to file a case in the court with the assertion that they deserved to be paid monthly salary upto April, 2009 .

Responding to the court's decry that the retrenched teachers' demand be duly addressed, the Government of Manipur pleaded that the court order would be complied with after completing minute assessment/checking of the teachers' attendance registers.

During examination of the attendance registers by experts of forensic science a number of errors and suspicious entries were reportedly detected in between 2007 and 2009 which spurred the Government to initiate legal action against the said teachers subsequently instructing the police to take up relevant measures.

The forensic science experts highlighted fresh signatures indicating updating of signature entries at a latter date, marking present on February 30 inspite of the month having only 28/29 days, and even attending classes on holidays as some of the points to negate the teachers' claim on salary entitlement for the period from the date of actual detection of excess appointments and subsequent service termination.

While confirming the Government move, an official source in the Tribal Affairs and Hills revealed that most of the retrenched teachers have given written assurance to withdraw the case against the Government with the expectation that the latter would act in a more sympathetic manner.

While most of the teachers have submitted written assurances to withdraw the court case there are still some teachers who have not declared their position on the issue, maintained the official while adding that the case is still in the High court.

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