Bengal Govt bans local hiring in all municipalities

In a significant move to regulate municipal recruitment, the West Bengal government has issued strict guidelines prohibiting local municipalities from hiring employees independently. All future recruitments must now be processed through the West Bengal Municipal Service Commission (WBMSC). This decision aims to address concerns over irregular recruitment practices and bring more transparency to the hiring process within municipal corporations across the state.

The state government’s decision comes after allegations emerged that several municipalities were appointing staff arbitrarily, bypassing the official procedures set by the state. The Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, had raised these concerns at a meeting at Nabanna, pointing out that such appointments were causing administrative problems for the government. Banerjee emphasized that from now on, all municipal appointments would require consultation with and approval from the WBMSC.

In addition, a recent ruling by the Calcutta High Court added weight to the government’s stance. The court found that several contractual employees appointed during the Left Front government in municipalities were not entitled to pension and retirement benefits. This was due to the lack of approval from the state government, even though appointments had been cleared by the municipal corporation boards. The ruling highlighted the importance of proper authorization and state approval in municipal recruitment, further supporting the government’s directive.

To implement this new recruitment policy, the state’s Urban and Rural Development Department held meetings with municipal officials. On March 3, a formal notification was issued, stating that the WBMSC would now be responsible for managing the recruitment process for municipal corporations. Municipalities have been instructed to direct all recruitment applications to the Commission, ensuring compliance with the new regulations.

The West Bengal Municipal Service Commission Act, which came into effect in January 2019, forms the legal foundation for these changes. The Act was introduced by the state government to streamline and centralize the recruitment process for municipal positions. The state has now focused on enforcing this law more strictly to prevent irregularities and ensure that all municipal appointments are made through a standardized, transparent process. Municipalities are expected to comply with these directives moving forward.