Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 24 June 2021
Tehsildar, Campbell Bay is a lawfully entitled authority to issue Local Certificate (Category Certificate) to those who apply and have all their documents and records in order. Recently some applicants who have submitted their applications for obtaining Local Certificate from the Office of the Tehsildar, Campbell Bay, approached Nicobar Times and informed us that the present Tehsildar Mr. Casper James is refusing to issue the certificate to anyone. They further informed us that all their documents are in order and they are entitled to get the local certificate as per rules.
Nicobar Times spoke to Mr. Casper James, Tehsildar, Campbell Bay Tehsil and questioned him on as to why he is not issuing local certificates to those who have applied and are eligible to receive such certificate as per rules, Mr. Casper James informed us that he will not issue local certificates to anyone because he was recently arrested for issuing such a certificate by the authorities and the arrest in his case was made without following the procedure.
Mr. Casper James accepted that he is a lawfully entitled officer to issue the local certificate to those who apply and have their documents in order, but he added that since he was arrested for issuing a local certificate earlier based on all documents and records submitted by an applicant, he will no longer sign and issue any local certificate under his name.
The applicants who have applied for the local certificates are in a dilemma as to whom they will approach to get their Local Certificate (Category Certificate). Nicobar Times spoke to the Assistant Commissioner of Campbell Bay regarding the issue and he informed us that he will get the issue sorted soon.
Local Certificate is an important document and has many uses. Local certificate is used to avail subsidised ship tickets for inter-island and mainland sector travel. The difference in fare between a subsidised and non- subsidised ticket is huge. For travel between Port Blair and Campbell Bay the price of a non-subsidised ship ticket costs Rs. 2000+ (approx.) and the price of a subsidised ticket costs Rs. 500+ (approx.).
Local Certificate is also used by the students to get admissions in colleges of Andaman and Nicobar Administration, where the admission is given based on the category mentioned on the local certificate. The merit list in these colleges of Andaman and Nicobar Administration is also prepared category vice.
It is really unfortunate that the residents of Great Nicobar has to suffer because Tehsildar, Campbell Bay is not ready to issue the Local Certificates to them.
Some residents of Great Nicobar have also informed us that the Assistant Commissioner of Campbell Bay is another competent authority to issue local certificates and if that is the case then the Assistant Commissioner, Campbell Bay should immediately issue local certificates to all those who have applied and have their documents in order.
On enquiry Nicobar Times was informed that more than 20 applications are pending for issue of local certificates in Great Nicobar and everyday new applicants are visiting the office of the Tehsildar to enquire about the process of obtaining a local certificate.
If the Tehsildar, Campbell Bay does not start issuing the local certificates soon, many people will start facing problems.
On the other hand it is really unfortunate that an officer is booked for performing his duties and issuing local certificates based on documents submitted by an applicant. The form to obtain the Local Certificate clearly mentions in bold letters that ‘The applicant is warned that all the above particulars should be furnished in full fact. Incorrect statement may privilege for cancellation of the request’. When Nicobar Times spoke to some officers of revenue department, they on condition of anonymity informed that in case the applicant furnishes incorrect information and it is found at a later stage, then the local certificate of the applicant should be cancelled, but no case should be booked against the officer without proper departmental enquiry. They added that if criminal cases are brought against the officers without proper enquiry about any wrongdoing on their part, then they will hesitate in issuing such certificates even in genuine cases.
Nicobar Times also spoke to several other people about the issue and they informed us that Mr. Casper James is an honest officer, he has no pending departmental enquiry against him and he is known as a public friendly officer. On being asked about his refusal to issue local certificates, they informed us that Mr. Casper James will not act in such a way if he doesn’t have good reasons.
The charges filed against Mr. Caper James will be dealt by an appropriate court of law, but the problem being faced by the residents of Campbell Bay should be immediately solved by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration.
It is really important to solve this issue, because this has the potential of becoming a norm among the officials. If all officers refuse to issue important certificates to the public because of the fear of being booked under criminal charges, then the general public will face a lot of problems in the coming days.