10 months ago
Orissa HC Slams Utkal University for 15-Year Delay in Compassionate Appointment
Imagine a family's main helper, who worked at a school called Utkal University, sadly passed away.
The university had a rule that if a worker died, their child could get a job to help the family.
But this family had to wait for 15 very long years!
A big court, the Orissa High Court, got very upset about this long wait.
The judge said the university was not being kind and should have helped the family much sooner.
The court ordered the university to give the job to the child right away, within three weeks.
If they don't, they have to pay the child money every day.
The university also has to pay the child a large amount of money for all the trouble and waiting.
Orissa High Court has criticized Utkal University for a 15-year delay in granting a compassionate appointment.
The petitioner's father, a University employee, died on March 10, 2010, leading to the son's claim for compassionate appointment.
The High Court noted that compassionate appointment claims should be treated with urgency.
The University is directed to appoint the petitioner within three weeks or face a daily penalty of Rs. 1,000.
Utkal University must also pay Rs. 1 lakh in costs to the petitioner within thirty days.
- Who
- The Orissa High Court and a petitioner whose father died while employed at Utkal University.
- What
- The High Court has ordered Utkal University to provide a compassionate appointment to the petitioner and pay costs, strongly criticizing the university for a 15-year delay.
- Where
- Orissa High Court and Utkal University.
- When
- The father died on March 10, 2010, and the court order was recently issued.
- Why
- The University was accused of showing a callous attitude and treating the claim for compassionate appointment without compassion, despite Supreme Court directives to treat such cases on a war footing.
Petitioner's Stance
Utkal University's Actions
Compassionate Appointment
Petitioner's Stance
The petitioner has a legitimate claim for compassionate appointment due to his father's death and is entitled to it under university policy.
Utkal University's Actions
The University significantly delayed processing the compassionate appointment claim for 15 years, treating it without necessary urgency or compassion.
Adherence to Court Directives
Petitioner's Stance
The University should respect Supreme Court warnings to treat compassionate appointment claims on a war footing.
Utkal University's Actions
The University has shown scant respect for court orders and has been disobeying them, which undermines the rule of law.
Financial Hardship and Emotional Distress
Petitioner's Stance
The petitioner's family has suffered financial distress and spent valuable time and money fighting legal battles due to the delay.
Utkal University's Actions
The University exhibited a callous and culpable attitude towards the family of its deceased employee.
Key facts
- Court
- Orissa High Court
- University
- Utkal University
- Petitioner's Father's Position
- Common Room Attendant
- Date of Father's Death
- March 10, 2010
- Court Order Deadline
- Within three weeks
- Daily Penalty for Non-compliance
- Rs. 1,000
- Cost Awarded to Petitioner
- Rs. 1 lakh
Quotes
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad
A Justice of the Orissa High Court
“The Apex Court earlier warned that the claims for compassionate appointment have to be treated on war footing. However, now-a-days, Governmental Institutions, such as Universities show scant respect to the Courts and disobey their orders. That would not augur well to the rule of law. At least, as a concession to the shortness of human life, the University & Government should have coordinated with each other and done something for the grieving family of the deceased by giving compassionate appointment to his son within a reasonable time.”
thestatesman.com
“Neither the University nor the Government knows the difficulty of a family that suffers financial distress when its sole breadwinner falls. Their hearts, if at all they have, do not appear to be at the right place. The claim for compassionate appointments is treated sans compassion as if showing compassion contravenes the Constitution. Much is not necessary to specify and less is insufficient to leave the truth unsaid.”
thestatesman.com
The Court
The Orissa High Court
“The petitioner, who has been fighting the legal battles one after another, has spent a valuable part of his life in the court corridors, which are not happy places. This is in addition to a huge sum of money he has spent all these years, the family itself being in financial distress and its breadwinner having gone with the wind. Less said is better, the Court stated.This is a fit case for levying exemplary costs on the University for showing callous attitude to its own employees’ family. A grossly culpable action of the University cannot go with impunity. A cut needs to be inflicted on it vicariously and on its officers, mediately.”
thestatesman.com
