Srinagar, May 20 : NC leader and party candidate for Anantnag parliamentary constituency Justice (Retd) Hasnain Masoodi has condemned the “efforts of Jammu and Kashmir Bank management to change selection criteria for probationary officer and banking associate vacancies in mid-stream at the behest of the forces keen to see the candidates from a particular region out of race and disempowered”.
In a statement issued, Masoodi said: “Once the selection criteria stands duly notified ahead of declaration of the results of the examination held, the Bank management lacks power and jurisdiction to change the selection criteria in the middle of the selection process to the disadvantage of candidates from a particular region and obviously for mala fide reasons. Any effort to push the aspirants from a particular region out of the race for the advertised posts will be unconstitutional and illegal and fought with full force.”
J&K Bank management, Masoodi said, “apparently emboldened by the condonation of previously reported alleged large scale malpractices in recruitment, pointed out by no less an authority than the Governor, is with impunity planning to play with the career of candidates from one region, only to please the forces that initially took strong exception to its lack of transparency in recruitments, whooping NPAs and corporate mismanagement but later did not enquire into alleged malpractices and mismanagement”.
While expressing surprise over reluctance of Governor administration to share the decisions taken in SAC regarding J&K Bank though initially made public, the NC leader said the silence in this regard strengthens the suspicion that the selection criteria is changed mid-stream at behest of the higher authorities and “to repay the favours shown by such authorities to the bank management in ignoring the alleged bungling in recruitment at the cost of career of thousands of candidates from a particular region”.
Masoodi has asked the Bank management to adhere to and follow the selection criteria duly notified prior to declaration of results and make selection on the basis of such criteria.
He also requested the civil society groups to persuade the Bank management to follow the notified selection criteria and not to harm the interest of candidates of one region.
Masoodi assured all moral support and legal assistance to the candidates “who are on streets against the arbitrary and capricious decision of the Bank management”.
“The only solution to stop the corporate mismanagement, malpractices, and opaqueness, according to him, is to bring the Bank under purview of RTI Act,” Masoodi said and exhorted RTI activists to redouble their efforts in this regard, unmindful of the efforts to muzzle their voice.
