Hyderabad: In a significant ruling, the Telangana High Court has invalidated GO 16, issued during the tenure of the previous KCR government, which facilitated the regularization of contract employees. The court declared the order unconstitutional, stating that such regularizations violated constitutional norms.
Following its 2014 electoral victory, the KCR-led administration regularized thousands of contract employees across various departments, notably in education and health. However, this move faced legal challenges from several quarters, culminating in the High Court’s decision to nullify the order. According to petitioners, the court has directed that employees regularized under GO 16 could continue as contract employees, while state officials await the official copy of the judgment for clarity.
The verdict has sparked widespread concern among employees who had transitioned to regular positions under GO 16, as uncertainty looms over their employment status. The stance of the Revanth Reddy government on the matter is now eagerly anticipated, with speculation on whether it will appeal the ruling or comply with the court’s orders.
Concerns Over GO 16
The implementation of GO 16 faced sharp criticism from the Unemployed JAC, which labeled it detrimental to jobless youth in the state. They argued that the policy deprived thousands of potential candidates of government job opportunities, prompting their legal challenge to the order.
Key Objections Raised
Critics highlighted several issues with GO 16, including:
– Non-adherence to reservation policies in contract hiring.
– Absence of standardized recruitment examinations to evaluate candidates.
– Allegations of favoritism and irregularities in the contract appointment process.
The High Court’s verdict has brought these concerns to the forefront, leaving the government and affected employees to navigate a challenging and uncertain situation.