No proof of wrong doing, says Navy

KOCHI: The Southern Naval Command authorities maintained that it had a well established system to monitor and supervise any irregularities in the recruitment procedure.“Action will be initiated if any wrong doing is brought out with proof,” the authorities said in a press release in response to allegations of malpractices in the recruitment to vacancies under Ammunition Repair Labourer semi skilled (ARL SS) and Gun Repair Labourers (GRL SS) at the Naval Armament Depot(NAD), Kalamassery. Express had earlier reported about alleged malpractices in the recruitment process. Candidates, with the connivance of Naval authorities, were being recruited by producing fake experience certificates issued by cracker units in and around Paravoor.   “The civilian recruitment procedure is carried out by a board of officers which include Naval and civilian officers appointed for the purpose. The composition of the board is changed at each stage of recruitment.“ Every effort is being made to ensure that the civilian recruitment is done in a fair manner as per recruitment rules,” Naval authorities clarified.The vacancies for these posts were advertised in July 2009. “The recruitment procedure could not be commenced as a group  in the unskilled category approached the Central Administrative Tribunal seeking their appointment as semi skilled to the vacant posts. The CAT disposed of their case in June 2011 with a direction to proceed with the recruitment process,” Naval authorities said. A total of 593 and 376 candidates appeared for ARL and GRL examinations respectively. 156 and 57 candidates were called for interview based on the performance in the written examination for 29 vacant posts of ARL and 11 posts of GRL. Out of the 29 candidates selected for ARL, only 9 candidates produced certificate of experience in fireworks. Similarly, out of the 11 candidates selected for GRL, only 2 candidates produced the same.“The appointments are being made provisionally pending production of detailed police verification certificates. “The certificate has to be obtained directly from the concerned police stations,” they clarified.