Imphal, July 14 2010: Reiterating that a high level inquiry committee has been probing into controversy over the publication of the DPC results for recruitment of primary teachers in a local paper before its official announcement, Education Minister L Jayantakumar as today assured the Assembly that necessary action would be taken up as soon as the inquiry committee submits the report of its findings.

In the Assembly session today, MPP MLAs O Joy and Dr Ng Bijoy raised a call attention motion drawing the attention of the Education Minister over the controversy.

Supporting the motion, MLAs Dr I Ibohalbi, RK Anand and Radhabinod Koijam also participated in the discussion.

However, O Joy stayed away from the discussion.

Initiating the discussion, Dr Bijoy observed that confusion and suspicion has been created in the mind of the people as the Government has not yet made any declaration on the implementation of the DPC results although the same had already been published in a local daily.

He also demanded to know the process of the inquiry reported being conducted by a committee headed by Chief Secretary as the chairman.

The written test may have been conducted properly.

But as no experts have been included in the DPC committee at the time of conducting the viva voce, the DPC results should be declared invalid, he contended.

Dr Bijoy further pointed out that appearance of something which was supposed to be kept secret in the open should not be accepted under the Government Secrecy Act.

Along with taking up action against all those who are involved in the matter under the Civil Service Conduct Rules, the controversial results should be cancelled and a fresh DPC should be conducted.

MLA Dr Ibohalbi asserted that the DPC was illegal and the integrity of the Government has been put at stake, if at all the Government had not declared the results.

He also drew the attention of the Education Minister for initiating necessary action to book the guilty officials.

MLA RK Anand demanded to know in whose custody the DPC results have been kept and how it has been leaked and published in a local daily.

Questioning the interest of people concerned over the publication of the results, he opined that the DPC should be conducted afresh to show that there is a Government in place.

Joining in the discussion, Opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam demanded to know whether the inquiry is being conducted is determine the published results were right or wrong, or to find out who were responsible for leaking the results to the press.

He also pressed the Government for taking up necessary action for violating the Official Secrecy Act.

In response to the call attention motion, Education Minister L Jayantakumar observed that efforts were being made for declaration of the DPC results when it suddenly appeared in a local daily amidst the prevailing tension over the conduct of ADC election.

This incident must have raised suspicion whether the Government lacks transparency.

In order to clear all these confusion, a 3-member high level committee headed by Chief Secretary has the chairman has started an inquiry into the matter, the Minister said, while assuring the House that necessary steps have been taken up as soon as the committee submits its inquiry report and finding.

It would be subjudicial to make any further comment on the issue at this stage since the committee has already started the inquiry, the Minister concluded.

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