Election Commission questions NORKA hiring

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Election Commission has sought an explanation from NORKA-Roots on its recent appointments. Sources said the EC had received complaints that the postings were made flouting norms and the model code of conduct for elections in force.

This newspaper had reported the other day that resentment was brewing among a section of NORKA-Roots employees over an alleged move to entrust the charge of overseas recruitment of nurses to a group of freshly appointed contract staff who were having links with the ruling Congress.

Ms Nirupama Mary Thomas, who was recently appointed as the recruitment manager, is the daughter of a former Congress leader from Pathanamthitta and assistant manager Reshmi M.B. is a former Congress councillor of Kamaleswaram ward in Thiruvanantha-puram Corporation.

Meanwhile, a probe into the alleged irregularities in recruitment announced by the state in the Assembly earlier remains a non-starter as the recruitment agency turned down pleas to pay service charge.

“A UAE-based recruitment agency owed around Rs 18 lakh to NORKA-Roots towards service charges for recruiting nearly 90 nurses. While the issue was raised in the Assembly, the government assured a probe into the matter. However, no enquiry has been initiated so far,” a government official said.

Moreover, the UAE-based recruiting agency even declined repeated pleas to pay the amount. Lapses on the part of NORKA-Roots officials in entering into a formal agreement with the recruiting agency was said to have weakened its claim. Hence, the demand for a high-level probe into the matter was gaining momentum, sources pointed out.