Shillong: A significant administrative overhaul within the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has led to the termination of 13 employees and the reclassification of 30 others from regular to casual status.
The move, initiated by the Voice of the People Party (VPP)-led executive committee, has stirred discontent among the affected staff.
Chief Executive Member (CEM) Shemborlang Rynjah defended the decision on Wednesday, stating it followed a series of internal reviews and was not taken lightly.
“This action came after five rounds of meetings. It was based on recommendations from a committee formed to streamline our administrative processes,” he said.
The committee had been tasked with examining the council’s staffing policies and scrutinising recent appointments.
According to Rynjah, all 13 individuals who lost their jobs were appointed last year without approved posts, while the 30 others had initially been casual workers before being made permanent — a status that has now been reversed.
“These posts were never sanctioned,” he explained. “We decided to revoke the regular appointments and allow the 30 individuals to continue in their original capacity as casual staff.”
Currently, the KHADC employs around 60 casual workers. Executive Member Powell Sohkhlet further clarified that the wages for casual employees are funded through the 15th Finance Commission, which restricts such salary allocations to only 5% of the total grant provided to the district council.
The announcement has triggered frustration among those affected.
Some of the staff, who claim to have been serving as casual workers since as far back as 2009, said they were abruptly notified of the change without adequate explanation.
