Shillong, April 23: The Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) on Thursday alleged irregularities and nepotism in the recruitment of casual workers at the State Secretariat, claiming that relatives of officials were being appointed through unfair practices.
The organisation submitted a memorandum to Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil P. Ahammed, urging intervention to ensure transparency and fairness in the appointment of daily wage workers under the Secretariat Administrative (Nazarat Branch).
Speaking to reporters, KHNAM Working President Thomas Passah said the allegations were based on information obtained through multiple RTI applications. He claimed that the department initially withheld key details, and only disclosed information following complaints.
According to the RTI reply, around 130 daily wage workers are currently engaged and paid monthly by the department. Passah alleged that appointments and terminations were arbitrary, with workers being hired and removed at will, sometimes within a few months.
He further pointed out irregularities in employment records, noting a sudden drop in the number of workers in November 2025 followed by an increase again in January 2026. He also alleged that around 10 workers who had previously protested after losing their jobs were not re-engaged, raising concerns of victimisation. “Denying employment on the basis of protest is unjustified, as peaceful protest is a constitutional right,” Passah said, questioning whether government employees and citizens still have the freedom to criticise the government.
The KHNAM leader also alleged discrepancies between advertised posts and actual appointments. He claimed that while a 2013 advertisement was issued for daily wage positions, some candidates were later appointed on a contractual basis with lower pay, contrary to the terms of the advertisement.
Additionally, the organisation alleged that certain individuals related to Secretariat employees were appointed as daily wage workers and continued in service without being removed. KHNAM also highlighted that long-serving workers, some with over 10 years of service, were not regularised under existing schemes but instead removed from service.
The group further pointed to a large number of vacancies across categories, including peons, clerks, typists, stenographers and drivers, and urged the government to fill these posts to address unemployment among youth. Passah said the Chief Secretary has assured that the matter will be examined.
