Manipur government admits to lapses in police recruitment test

Imphal, Aug 25 (IANS) Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam Gangmei on Thursday admitted to lapses in the recruitment test of 2,000 police constables here and said action would be taken against the officials who manipulated the candidates' scores.

The government was "constrained with a heavy heart to cancel the recruitment results", said Gangmei, who is in charge of the state Home Department. The selection process had started in 2013.

He said that once an internal inquiry is concluded, the officials guilty of tampering with test results and candidates' scores shall be booked.

Highly placed sources said that candidates who had failed the tests were selected for recruitment. One candidate had submitted two answer papers in two different handwritings.

Protesting against the cancellation of the results, those candidates who were declared successful had imposed an economic blockade and an indefinite general strike. However, the strike was called off on Wednesday midnight as people did not support it.

Gangmei appealed to the candidates to desist from such agitations and said that the candidates who were eligible in 2013 will enjoy the same facilities as others, including age relaxation.

N. Sovakiran, President of the Manipur People's Party, has demanded a CBI inquiry into the scam and alleged that a huge amount changed hands.