Thiruvananthapuram: In a clear violation of rules, a leader of a pro-CPM labour union who is working as the front office manager of the Kerala House in New Delhi as been appointed the protocol officer of the Kannur International Airport. Notably, the post of the protocol officer was allegedly created at the Kannur Airport first so as to appoint him to the post under the guise of a 'work arrangement', i.e., alternative arrangement.

It is alleged that K M Prakashan was appointed by flouting all norms so as to enable him to gain working experience in the post before being appointed to the post of the protocol officer in the Kerala House in New Delhi.

The post of the front office manager held by Prakshan is not a post with gazetted rank. The post of the protocol officer in the Kerala House is a gazetted post. Only a person having the rank of the Deputy Secretary in government can be appointed to the post.

A section of the government employees has alleged that the next attempt will be to make Prakashan the protocol officer of the Kerala House once he gets enough experience as a protocol officer in the Kannur Airport. But the fact is that even if he becomes a protocol officer in the Kannur Airport, he will not be able to become a gazetted officer as per rules. But regardless of all the legal issues involved, the move is afoot to make him the protocol officer of the Kerala House using political clout.

Prakashan joined the service in 1997 as a reception assistant. A post of the front office manager was created there bypassing all rules and he was appointed to the post.

Since it is a selection post, Prakashan can in no way be appointed as protocol officer at Kerala House in New Delhi. The employees' association in the State Secretariat, who are supposed to oppose the move, are keeping silent. Prakash, hailing from Kannur, is the NGO Union branch secretary in Delhi.

Though the appointments to posts in the Kerala House in other places outside the State are being made by the PSC, the power of filling up of posts in the Kerala House, New Delhi, are not given to the PSC. By giving scant regard to the existing rules, the party nominees are being appointed through backdoor in various posts.