SHILLONG, FEB 5: The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council (HYC) has strongly condemned the appointment of Officers on Special Duty (OSDs) to the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, terming it “arbitrary and non-transparent”.
“The appointments are being made behind closed doors, while huge amounts of public money are being spent towards salaries, allowances, office infrastructure, vehicles, and other privileges—without accountability to the people of the State,” HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem said in a statement issued on Thursday.
HYC questioned the qualifications and interests of the appointed individuals, asking, “Who are these individuals, what are their qualifications, and whose interests do they really serve?”
“The MDA Government or the Chief Minister cannot treat public money as their personal expenditure. HYC strongly objects to the lavish expenditure from the State exchequer on OSDs whose roles, responsibilities, and necessity remain unclear. Public funds are meant for education, healthcare, infrastructure, employment generation and not for creating parallel power centres and political conveniences,” Synrem stated.
The organization demanded that the government disclose complete details of the appointments, clarify the selection process, and stop the practice of backdoor appointments.
“(We) demand that the Government of Meghalaya immediately disclose complete details of all OSD appointments made to the Chief Minister; Clarify the legal basis and selection process, if any; Place in the public domain the salary, allowances, and expenditure incurred and immediately stop the practice of backdoor appointments that bypass legal norms and practices. Failure to do so will only reinforce the public perception that governance is being reduced to patronage and favoritism.”
“HYC is not against governance, but firmly against unaccountable governance. Positions created with public money must serve public interest—not political convenience,” Synrem added.
The HYC has called upon civil society organizations, unemployed youths, students, and citizens to raise their voice against the misuse of public funds and erosion of transparent governance.
“Positions created with public money must serve public interest—not political convenience,” Synrem stated while warning that if the Government continues to ignore public concern, HYC will be compelled to intensify democratic agitation in the interest of transparency and youth justice.
By Our Reporter
