KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday pointed out flaws in the appointment process of vaccinators in the provincial health department and directed the authorities to reconduct interviews of the candidates found successful in the written test and initiate a fresh recruitment process on the remaining posts in accordance with rules.

A two-judge bench comprising Justices Nadeem Akhtar and Adnan-ul-Karim Memon observed that prima facie the appointments were made without consultation with the Services, General Administration and Coordination Department and the qualifications were also relaxed, which was not permissible under the law.

“It is an admitted position that the NTS test was conducted on the aforesaid posts; and, only 1,611 candidates could qualify the written test, and in the meanwhile, due to intervention by the provincial minister health (as per summary), the threshold was unilaterally reduced from 60 to 55 marks,” the bench noted.

It directed the authorities concerned to establish an institute for training of vaccinators within three months and all the 1,611 candidates, who obtained 60 and above marks in the written test conducted by NTS, were required to undergo a fresh interview by a committee constituted by the chief minister in August 2019 and the rest of the posts must be re-advertised in accordance with recruitment rules.

The bench further observed that the qualification cannot be relaxed under the law, but the respondent had assigned more than 60 marks to those who were simply matriculated having no experience for the post. It said it prima facie showed that the whole recruitment process initiated by the health department was flawed and even the directive of the competent authority (CM) was not followed by the health department to reconduct interview of the candidates who passed the written test and were carrying vaccination certificates.

SHC asks authorities to retake interviews of 1,611 candidates who passed written exam

The bench passed the order while disposing of a set of petitions seeking directions to the health department to issue offer/appointment orders to the petitioners against the posts of GAVI vaccinators (BPS-6) on the ground that they had already been declared successful based on marks they obtained in the competitive process and interview.

The petitioner asked the bench that alternatively the appointment orders issued to private respondents/beneficiaries may be declared null in the eyes of law since merit was compromised by the health department to accommodate the private respondents.

It further noticed that the health secretary had floated a summary to the chief minister in May 2019 for the approval of the recommendations of a selection committee for appointment of (1,733) candidates as vaccinators, but certain illegalities were pointed out in the process and thus, the chief minister had constituted a committee in August 2019 to ensure that only those candidates that had secured 60 per cent marks or above and possessed certificates in vaccination from a recognised institute would be re-interviewed.

However, the department concerned went ahead and completed the recruitment process as earlier undertaken by the recruitment /selection committee by adhering to the original marks granted to the candidates ie 60 marks, it added.

The bench in its judgement further observed that a two-member committee, which belonged to the same department, unambiguously showed that they failed and neglected to look into the basic qualification of the candidates on the premise that the successful candidates lacked the experience for the post applied for and having no training/experience certificate from any recognised institution for the subject post.

Plea about buildings’ fire safety

Another SHC bench on Friday directed the director general of the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) to submit till March 17 a mechanism about approval of building plans after obtaining no-objection certificates from the civil defence and fire departments.

The bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar also expressed dissatisfaction over a delay in repairing faulty fire tenders and directed the Karachi commissioner to ensure that the timeline must be followed and repair work be completed at an early date.

It also called a progress report from an assistant commissioner about restoration of out-of-order 1299 helpline on the next date.

At the outset of the hearing, the SBCA chief informed the bench that in compliance with its last order, he convened a meeting with officials of the civil defence and fire departments.

However, he requested for more time to formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) and circulate them among SBCA officials to ensure that before approving any building plan, the NOC of civil defence and fire departments must be obtained.

The bench was hearing a petition seeking implementation of the Building Code of Pakistan and Fire Safety Provisions 2016 across the province.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2021