Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited converts advertisement for Additional Finance Consultant into advertisement for Legal Consultant!

Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited has converted advertisement for Additional Finance Consultant into advertisement for Legal Consultant. It has changed the qualification, experience and age criteria in an exercise of apparent arbitrariness. The advertisement appears to be in violation of Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution of India.  It seems Bihar Government has not drawn lessons from the judgement of Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh of the Patna High Court in Kapil Kumar vs. the State of Bihar & Others.

Bihar State Power (Holding) Company Limited (BSPHCL), a government of Bihar undertaking under Department of General Administration invited application for the post of Additional Finance Consultant through Walk-In-Interview by an advertisement dated October 10, 2024 published in The Times of India, Patna (p.19). The interview was scheduled to be held on October 22, 2024 at BSPHCL, Vidyut Bhavan, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Patna at 3.30 PM on Tuesday. The application was to be addressed to Ram Anugrah Narayan Singh, GM, HR & Admin, BSPHCL. The required qualification and experience were: "CA/ ICWA/ MBA (Finance) from a recognized Institute/University and Minimum experience of 10 years in the field of Finance & Accounts." The emolument is "Consolidated pay amounting to 1,05,000/- (One lakh five thousand) per month." The contract period is "for 3 (three) years initially which may be extended for 01 (one) year at a time, as per requirement of the company and his/her satisfactory job performance." The work and responsibility included "Work related to give advice on the matters related to finance and accounts of BSPHCL & its subsidiary companies. Other Works as entrusted by CMD & GM (HR & Adm.), BSPHCL from time to time." This advertisement was with reference to "Job Contract Notice No. - 12/2024 (Contract)". It stated that "Age should be between 35 to 45 years" as one October 1, 2024. This newspaper advertisement was published vide PR-010425 (B&C) 2024-2025.

Subsequently, The Times of India, Patna (p.21) published a Corrigendum on October 11, 2024 from BSPHCL with reference to "Job Contract Notice No.-11/2024 (Contract)" signed by Ram Anugrah Narayan Singh. The Corrigendum reads: The post mentioned as Additional Finance Consultant in the newspaper notice published vide PR-010426 (B&C) 2024-2025 against notice no.-11/2024 may be read as Legal Consultant." It was published vide PR-010432 (B&C) 2024-2025. The reference the Corrigendum appears incorrect because newspaper advertisement was published vide PR-010425 (B&C) 2024-2025. 

For the post of Legal Consultant, the required qualification and experience are: "LLB (Bachelor of Law) from a recognized Institute/ University. Minimum experience of 20 years in the field of Law. Experience in government department/institutions/ P.S.U will be preferred." The mode of selection is through Walk-in-Interview.

The emolument is mentioned as "Consolidated pay amounting to 90,000/- ( Ninety thousand) per month." It stated that "Age as on 01.10.2024: Should be between 50 to 60 years." The contract period "for 2 (two) years initially which may be extended for 01 (one) year at a time, as per requirement of the company and his/her satisfactory job performance. This contractual engagement may be terminated immediately without giving any prior notice, if performance of the candidate is not found satisfactory by the company." The work and responsibility includes "Works related to giving advice in the -Legal matters, Legal issues related to Projects (Including IT/OT/RDSS/ Pre-paid metres) of BSPHCL and its subsidiary companies. Cyber Crime/Fraud in payment of bills by consumers. Implementation, Monitoring & Observation of Legal work related to BSPHCL & its subsidiary companies. Other works as entrusted by CMD & GM (HR/Adm) of BSPHCL from time to time." The interview is scheduled to be held on October 24, 2024 at BSPHCL, Vidyut Bhavan, Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Patna at 3.30 PM on Thursday. The application is to be addressed to Ram Anugrah Narayan Singh, GM, HR & Admin, BSPHCL.