Chennai, May 31 (IANS): Expelled AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O. Panneerselvam (OPS) on Wednesday called upon the Tamil Nadu government to honour its poll promise of filling up 3.5 lakh vacancies in government departments.

In a statement, the senior leader called upon the state government to conduct periodical examinations through the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission to fill up the vacant posts.

The DMK, during its election campaign of 2021, had said that once it assumes power, it would take immediate steps to fill 3.5 lakh vacant posts.

OPS said that during the last one year, around one lakh government employees have retired and thus the total number of vacancies would be about 4.5 lakhs. The former Chief Minister said that this would account to 60 per cent of the total government employees of the state.

He called upon the government to conduct group IV examination for 2023 to fill 50,000 vacant posts in government.

The expelled AIADMK leader came out strongly against the "failure" of the DMK government and Chief Minister M. K. Stalin in not even filling 10,000 vacant posts. He called upon the government to hold TNPSC examinations periodically and fill up the vacant posts.