Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass orders removal of 12 staff amid Assam Assembly overhaul

The Assam Legislative Assembly Secretariat has relieved 12 retired officers and employees who had been re-employed on contractual assignments, marking the beginning of a significant administrative restructuring under newly elected Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

According to an official order issued by the Assembly Secretariat on May 29, the services of the re-employed personnel were discontinued with immediate effect. The officials had been serving in various capacities, including Officers on Special Duty (OSDs), coordinators, attendants and support staff across different branches of the Secretariat.

The order, issued under the authority of the Speaker, stated that the officers and staff concerned had been relieved from their contractual assignments with effect from May 29, 2026.

Among those relieved were retired officials serving in the Public Undertakings Committee, MLA Hostel, Issue Branch, Legislation Branch, Establishment Branch, Security Branch and other administrative wings of the Assembly Secretariat.

The development comes amid growing scrutiny over alleged recruitment and service-related irregularities within the Assam Legislative Assembly Secretariat.

Earlier this month, the All Assam Unemployed Association (AAUA) approached the Gauhati High Court by filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an investigation into nearly 50 appointments made in the Secretariat. The petition alleged that around 34 candidates were appointed to Grade III and Grade IV posts without public advertisement or a transparent selection process.

The PIL further claimed that several appointments were subsequently regularised despite alleged procedural lapses, raising concerns regarding adherence to established recruitment norms.

The petition also questioned repeated service extensions allegedly granted to certain senior officials during the tenure of former Speaker Biswajit Daimary. Among the issues highlighted were multiple extensions reportedly provided to former Secretary Dulal Pegu and the continuation in service of another official beyond the prescribed retirement age.

While the Assembly Secretariat's latest order does not directly link the termination of contractual engagements to the allegations raised in the PIL, the move is being viewed as part of a broader administrative review initiated under the new leadership.

Officials have not yet indicated whether further action or an internal inquiry into the recruitment and appointment process will follow.