Patna, Nov 6 (IANS): Around 100 newly appointed employees of the Bihar Legislative Council created a commotion on Friday after they were stopped at the main gate while attempting to join duty.

A large police contingent was deployed at the premises to maintain law and order.

The employees demanded that they be allowed to join their respective posts immediately.

The group included seven personal assistants (stenographers), around 56 security guards and 33 data entry operators.

Their joining has been withheld following allegations of irregularities in the recruitment process.

Questions have also been raised over the educational qualifications and professional skills of some of the selected candidates.

The recruitment process in the Bihar Legislative Council is currently under scrutiny.

The appointments were made during the tenure of former Council Chairman Awadhesh Narayan Singh.

The controversy intensified after reports emerged that some of the selected personal assistants were not proficient in shorthand, a mandatory skill for the post.

Following these concerns, the Council Secretariat decided to conduct a shorthand assessment to verify the candidates' abilities.

A test was organised on November 4, but none of the seven selected candidates appeared.

All had been instructed to report to the examination centre on the Council premises at 11:30 a.m.

The assessment was to be monitored through CCTV cameras to ensure transparency.

The Secretariat had earlier made it clear that failure to appear for the mandatory assessment would lead to cancellation of the candidates' selection.

However, after the candidates remained absent, the authorities decided to give them one final opportunity instead of immediately cancelling their appointments.

November 18 has now been fixed as the fresh date for the shorthand test.

The seven candidates have been directed to appear for the assessment, failing which their appointments will be terminated.

The absence of all seven candidates from the first test has further intensified questions over the recruitment process and the credibility of the selection.

The larger group of newly appointed employees, meanwhile, continued to press for permission to join duty on Friday.

Their appointments remain on hold pending scrutiny of the recruitment-related concerns.

—

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.