Dearth of law officers leaves KMC struggling with legal matters

Kolkata: Due to an apparent dearth of law officers, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is facing hindrances in dealing with legal matters which in turn is affecting the services rendered to the citizens.

It was learnt that presently there are 24 vacancies in the post of Assistant Manager (Law) at the KMC. According to an official, the sanctioned strength of Assistant Manager (Law) cadre under KMC legal service is 27 but the civic body only has one incumbent in such a post under direct recruitment quota. Hence, 26 such posts are lying vacant. However, KMC is learnt to have proposed that two such posts be surrendered in order to create one additional post of Additional CMLO and one for deputy CMLO. Officials explained this brings down the sanctioned strength of the post of Assistant Manager (Law) to 25 and vacancy to 24.

An official said “The services rendered by Assistant Manager (Law) under KMC Legal Service are essential. Mostly, such persons are involved in the matter of cases that are filed in courts and tribunals. They are also involved in day to day legal matters of the departments where they are attached”.

“Due to the shortfall of Assistant Managers (Law), KMC is facing hindrances in dealing with legal matters which in turn is affecting the services rendered to citizens. Filling up the vacant posts under direct recruitment quota is utmost necessary,” the official explained.

Sources said many a time certain policy related legal matters, that are being referred to the Law department of KMC, are getting stalled and thus causing inordinate delays in their implementation due to lack of such legal officers. This is one of the reasons behind the delay in implementing the new advertisement policy of

the civic body.

It was learnt that KMC has solicited the approval of the state government for filling up the vacancy by way of direct recruitment through West Bengal Municipal Service Commission in regular manner as per existing recruitment regulations. According to a state government memorandum of 2018, a state level committee on utilisation of human resources was formed and it was announced that all proposals for creation and filling up posts shall be scrutinised by this committee before it is concurred by the Finance department and placed for consideration.