Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 28 January 2025
The Andaman and Nicobar State Conference of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has passed a resolution urging the central government to enact legislation ensuring job reservations for local candidates in the government sector across the islands. The party highlighted that similar provisions have been implemented in other states and Union Territories and emphasized the urgent need for such a law in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Expressing deep concern over rising unemployment in the islands, the CPI(M) noted that the central government has failed to take concrete measures to address the issue. The resolution, submitted to the Chief Secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration by CPI(M) State Organizing Committee Secretary D. Ayyappan, attributed the worsening employment scenario to factors such as the ban on the creation of new posts by successive central governments and delays in filling existing vacancies.
The conference also pointed out the significant influx of mainland candidates applying for positions advertised by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration. Referring to the recent recruitment drive conducted ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the CPI(M) highlighted that several mainland candidates participated in the examinations, while the Administration has yet to release the final selection lists.
The CPI(M) resolution underscored legal challenges that have hindered the reservation of government jobs for locals. It noted that the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) and the Calcutta High Court have, since 1987, consistently ruled that executive orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs for reserving posts for local candidates are unsustainable without legislative backing. The Supreme Court has also upheld these rulings.
The party criticized successive central governments for their failure to enact a law addressing this issue, which continues to disadvantage the island’s youth. The CPI(M) reiterated its demand for immediate legislative action to ensure local candidates are prioritized in government recruitment, thereby safeguarding their employment opportunities.