Kohima, Nov. 17: The Nagaland government may revoke the ban on contractual appointments in the state departments owing to political pressure.

Sources said chief minister T.R. Zeliang is under pressure to gain political mileage as Assembly elections will be held after one-and-a-half years.

Political appointments are rampant in the state and 60 per cent of the budget is used to pay thousands of unproductive employees. In June, the state government has banned contractual appointments in the departments.

The government has laid down the revised procedures for appointments vide an office memorandum stating that all appointments should be made strictly in accordance with the existing rules/procedures through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC), open advertisements or employment exchanges.

Despite objections from various organisations, the state government continued to indulge in backdoor appointments without conducting interviews. Over the last couple of years, there have been hundreds of backdoor appointments.

In the PWD alone, there are over 6,000 unproductive employees most of whom were appointed through the back door. Since last year, nearly 300 people have been appointed in the police department and so far no action could be taken by the government despite strong protests from some student organisations.

The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation, an NGO, has been demanding prompt action against illegal appointments.

The NGO, that has been fighting against corruption in the state, has obtainedreports of irregular appointments in several departments. The government has not yet taken any step. According to the Lotha Students' Union (LSU), 7,737 backdoor appointments were made in the home department since 2005.

The information surfaced after the students' union reportedly filed an RTI seeking details from the police headquarters on the appointments made.

A total of 1,727 appointments were made between 2005 and 2007 during the tenure of Thenucho as home minister.

From 2008 till 2012 when Imkong L. Imchen was the home minister, 5,036 backdoor appointments were made. Between 2013 and 2014, when G. Kaito Ayeh was home minister, there were 715 backdoor appointments. In 2015, when Y. Patton was home minister, 259 backdoor appointments were made.

The Chakhesang Students' Union has asked the government to terminate services of backdoor appointees.