Media report on Manipur 2016 civil services fiasco aims to mislead, says aspirant group

Imphal: Reacting to the EastMojo documentary on the Manipur Civil Services examination 2016 irregularities case, the Group of Aspirants (GoA) on Wednesday alleged that such reports not only aim to mislead the people of Manipur, it also sent out a wrong message to the High Court of Manipur and the Supreme Court.

Speaking to media persons at the Manipur Press Club, GoA spokesman Keisham Kishan said the aspirants of the Manipur civil services have been fighting for the case for over four years but, without considering or asking the group, the report painted a one-sided story.

The GoA, represented by 42 petitioners, had filed petitions in the HC requesting to quash and set aside the Manipur Public Service Commission (MPSC) 2016 examinations along with the appointment of the candidates selected from the examination.

“We are trying very hard to make the MPSC clean, and its recruitment process. Such a report, which seems to be an attempt to influence the public and also appear to challenge the wisdom of HC and SC with their half-baked knowledge, is very unfortunate for the people of Manipur and us,” said Kishan, one of the petitioners.

On 18 October 2019, the High Court of Manipur passed an order directing to quash the examination, which led to the cancellation of appointment letters of 82 officers after their two and a half years of service.

The case is being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and so far, no arrest in the case has been made.

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The aspirants also denied that there is a bifurcation in the group into two groups and firmly stated that “GoA remains as one group.”

“If some candidates would like to re-conduct the exam from the prelims stage, why should they not complain to the HC before conducting the mains exam and why didn’t they enter in discussing the matter in the HC even after repeated notice given to them?” asked GoA convener Arbind Salam.

The group further highlighted that some of the selected candidates and the MPSC had filed a ‘special leave petition’ to the Supreme Court challenging the judgment and order of the HC. However, after hearing the petitions the SC upheld the order of HC and directed MPSC to conduct the MSCCC mains 2016 as soon as possible, it added.

According to the aspirants, after a year of issuing the order, some of the candidates recently filed a writ petition to the HC praying that exam shall be conducted from the prelims stage which termed as ‘surprising’.

The aspirants further claimed that the sufferings and hardships faced by them are no lesser than of the selected candidates.

Taking on to the MPSC officials, the group also said that instead of feeling sympathy for the terminated candidates, they should also think of the grievances of the victims of the 2016 MCSCC examinations.

For the well-being of the state, MPSC should conduct the MCSCC mains 2016 after framing proper rule and regulations as early as possible, added Kishan.

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