The Odisha High Court has delivered a stinging rebuke to the state government, imposing a ₹25,000 fine for failing to regularize a Class IV employee after nearly 30 years of legal battles.
The employee, a daily wager at a primary health center since 1996, was repeatedly denied permanent status despite his juniors being regularized years ago.
The court’s patience wore thin after the government ignored a 2009 High Court order dismissing its appeal. Now, the judiciary has issued a strict ultimatum:
Final Deadline: Regularize the petitioner within 8 weeks.
Penalty for Delay: Failure to comply will result in a daily fine of ₹100 for the first month, escalating to ₹200 per day thereafter.
This landmark ruling serves as a stern warning against administrative apathy and the persistent ignoring of judicial mandates.
It highlights the heavy price of bureaucratic delay, ensuring that the long-suffering employee finally receives the justice and job security he has sought since the 90s.