National Commission for SCs seeks report over salary deduction for a clerk in Erode

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has asked the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Chennai, and the Superintendent of Police, Erode district, to submit an action-taken report with regard to the deduction of salary for a clerk belonging to the Arunthathiyar community.

Senthilkumar, secretary at the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Society (No. 4833), Unjalur, in Kodumudi taluk, was placed under suspension on May 8, 2023, for involvement in financial irregularities in the society to the tune of ₹40 lakh. The society also found that Subramaniyan, 48, of Thandampalayam in Sivagiri, who was working as a junior clerk, and Vijayalakshmi, a differently-abled person, who worked as a saleswoman were complicit in the irregularities and started to deduct ₹5,000 from their monthly salary each for the last 18 months.

Though Subramaniyan submitted petitions to the Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Erode district, no action was taken. Hence, he petitioned the Commission calling for an investigation and cancelling the deduction besides refund of the deducted salary. He also wanted a case to be registered under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

In a communication dated November 27, 2024, to the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and the SP, the Commission director S. Ravivarman said it had received a complaint and decided to investigate/inquire into the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338 of the Constitution. Hence, the letter asked them to submit the facts and information on the action taken within 15 days. The communication also said that if the Commission did not receive a response from them, it could issue a summons to them for an appearance.

Published - November 28, 2024 07:35 pm IST