Imphal, Feb. 19: Employees of the Manipur secretariat continued their strike for the second day today as they blocked officials of other departments from attending office.

Around 1,000employees, under the banner of Manipur Secretariat Services Association, went on an indefinite ceasework yesterday demanding cancellation of the process of recruiting 25 section officers through the Manipur Public Service Commission. The employees are demanding that the posts be filled up by promoting officials from the existing workforce through an internal competitive exam.

The agitating employees barred the entry of files, visitors and officials from other departments after chief secretary Jarnail Singh asked the principal secretaries, commissioners and secretaries to use officials from their own departments for emergency work.

Twenty association members manned the entrance to the south block — which houses the chief secretary’s office — while an equal number of employees stood guard at the gate of the new secretariat.

“We have seized files which were brought today to the secretariat from other departments like revenue, works, accountant general and food and civil supplies departments,” a leader of the employees’ association said.

The strikers also ensured that eight files from the chief minister’s office did not reach the chief secretary’s office. “We are keeping all the files safely. We will give them the files back after the strike is over,” another employee said.

The strike has hampered the printing of copies of the budget, supplementary demands and demands for grants. Sources said IAS and Manipur Civil Service officers, who are not taking part in the strike, took up the responsibility of printing the copies themselves.

The budget session of the state Assembly commences tomorrow.