Kathmandu, June 3
The Public Service Commission has defended a recent vacancy announcement through which it has called applications for nearly 10,000 positions for local governments across the country.
The notice has been dragged into a controversy after some stakeholders and Madheshi politicians said the announcement violated provisions of the constitution and PSC laws about allocating reservations for various marginalised communities including women, Madheshis, Janajatis and Muslims.
The Commission, however, says it is not obliged to ensure the standard distribution of the seats this time as the vacant positions have been differently categorised for different local units and one unit does not have sufficient vacant positions to ensure the inclusive distribution.
The Commission’s spokesperson Kiran Raj Sharma says at least 28 positions should be vacant to ensure the distribution.
According to the Civil Service Act, 55 per cent seats of civil service should be allocated for the open competitors whereas 45 per cent seats should be reserved for various categories. Considering the 45 per cent positions 100 per cent, 33 per cent seats should be reserved for women, 27 for Janajatis, 22 for Madheshis, nine for Dalits, five for people with disabilities and four for those from marginalised areas.
Meanwhile, Rastriya Janata Party Chairman Mahendra Raya Yadav says the failure to abide by the rule may trigger a new ‘revolution’.
