The Assam State Transport Corporation (ASTC) will lay off as many as 771 illegally recruited employees from their jobs, reports emerged on Wednesday.

As per allegations, 2,274 employees were recruited without following due procedure during the tenure of Anand Prakash Tiwari and Khagendra Nath Chetia as Managing Director, sources informed.

“In respect of engagement of contractual staff, it has been alleged that the entire 2274 staff were recruited without following the due procedure or following the system of reservation nor any interviews were held. The same is to be enquired into and if found to be true, Show Cause notice to be issued to the then MD, ASTC for flouting the government norms and initiate Departmental Proceeding against such government,” a notice reads.

“Accordingly, after enquiry and on assessment Transport department will go through the present contractual staff of ASTC and appropriate direction will be issued to keep only essential and legally appointed contractual staff and other staffs to be released immediately thereafter. This exercise is to be completed within 60 days,” it added.