Days after the national panel had summoned Punjab’s top brass for not implementing reservation policy in its Advocate-General’s office, the state government on Sunday announced its decision to introduce the reservation in the posts of law officers recruited by the State Government.
Describing it as “yet another pioneering move”, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann maintained that total 58 new posts of law officers are being created in the Advocate-General’s office which will be reserved for the Scheduled Castes.
The advertisement in this regard was issued by the Department of Home Affairs on Saturday in which applications have been called from eligible Scheduled Caste Advocates or candidates for engagement as law officers in the office of Advocate General, Punjab at Chandigarh and Legal Cell, New Delhi.
As per details, applications have been invited for 12 posts of Additional Advocate-General (10 at Chandigarh and two at Delhi), for post five posts of Senior Deputy Advocate General at Chandigarh, for 16 posts of Deputy Advocate General (14 at Chandigarh and two at Delhi), for 23 for posts of Assistant Advocate General (22 at Chandigarh and one at Delhi) and out of two posts of Advocate on Record at Delhi from eligible SC candidates. The eligible candidates can apply for post by September 13, 2022.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said that he had always been a votary of giving equal opportunities to the youth of SC community to excel in every field. “The State Government has been implementing the reservation policy in true spirit to ensure that the candidates of weaker and underprivileged sections get equal opportunity for getting jobs,” he said.
Mann unequivocally said that for the first time in history of the state, the Aam Aadmi Party Government has made this provision to give reservation to SC candidates in recruitment for post of law officers too.
The Chief Minister lamented that despite of enormous capability of SC candidates, they have not got a chance to make it for the posts of law officers due to many reasons. However, he envisioned that with the State Government introducing reservation for these candidates, it will enable them to serve judiciously as law officers.
Mann asserted that Aam Aadmi Party Government is probably the only government in the country to provide reservation to SC community for these posts.
Reiterating the firm commitment of State Government to ensure well being of SC brethren, the Chief Minister said that no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause.
He emphasised that the State Government is making all out efforts to provide equal opportunities of progress and prosperity for the community. “Unlike the previous governments which had only made lip service for welfare of community, the Aam Aadmi Party Government has taken tangible steps in this regard,” he said.
Notably, about a month back, a state of Punjab’s petition was dismissed as withdrawn by the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the directions issued by the National Commission of Scheduled Castes to provide reservation in the appointment of law officers in the Advocate-General’s office.
The State had moved the High Court after Punjab’s Department of Home Affairs and Justice, on May 27, wrote to the Commission stating that reservation to Scheduled Caste candidates was not applicable while engaging law officers.
The Commission was also told about Advocate-General Anmol Rattan Singh Sidhu’s opinion that “the paramount consideration should be given to the ‘efficiency’ of the law officers who need to perform before the top Court of the State as well as before the apex Court of the country; there is no legal necessity for the reservation in the appointment of law officers by the state government”.
SC CANDIDATES CAN APPLY BY SEPT 13: DR BALJIT KAUR
The candidates belonging to SC category can apply for the reserved category posts of law officers in the Advocate-General Branch of the Punjab Government by September 13, 2022, said Punjab’s Social Justice, Empowerment and Minorities Minister Dr Baljit Kaur.
She said that the candidates can apply online by September 13, 2022. They may apply at http://Punjab.gov.in and send their documents at e-mail-ID pblorec@punjab.gov.in.
The Minister said that these posts have been advertised for the first time in Punjab. She said that the State Government led by the Bhagwant Mann is committed for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and is constantly striving to give them their rights as per law.