Following the Punjab Public Service Commission jobs-for-cash scandal, the Punjab government is considering the formulation of an ordinance empowering it to remove the tainted PPSC batches.Highly informed sources say that the ordinance has been discussed in the government, but it would not be ready before next week. The ordinance would be first vetted by the government prior to being placed before the Cabinet to be passed. It would be finalised after the Punjab Governor signs it.The ordinance, if cleared, will empower the government departments to shunt out batches recommended by PPSC, which had been found to have been tainted in the investigations by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. The decision to remove specific batches will be taken on the reports of the VB. The SC rulings allow a government to dismiss an entire batch if some of the appointees are found to be compromised.Explaining the rationale of the legal basis of the proposed ordinance, a legal expert said, ‘‘Since the state services fall under the purview of the Legislature, it is within the Legislature’s purview to remove the tainted batches.The entire batch of PPSC selections can be removed once the ordinance comes into force. Preliminary consultations with the government have taken place on the drafting of the ordinance.’’The move comes in the wake of mounting pressure to take action in the PPSC case or face a possible transfer of the lacunae-ridden investigations to the CBI.
