For nearly an hour on Tuesday, a location inside the Odisha High Court turned into a camp office of State School and Mass Education department, and in an unprecedented development, the officers of the department prepared an urgent appointment letter in favour a woman engaging her as a Gana Shikshak in a Government school.
The joys of Aratibala Harichandan of Khordha district knew no bounds when she was handed over the appointment letter in the court premises engaging her as a teacher in the Naramanabi Project UP School under Tangi block of Khordha district. In fact, she was waiting for the precious document ever since she was selected for the post way back in 1999.
The officials of the department swung into action only when a single-judge Bench of Justice BR Sarangi of the High Court refused to grant even a day’s time to the Government, saying if the December 4 order of the High Court is not complied within two hours then the officials would face the consequence of contempt of court charges.
Khordha District Project Coordinator of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Gadadhar Behera and other officials had no option but to hold a camp office of the department in the HC premises and typed the appointment letter, completed all official paraphernalia and handed the letter over to an elated Aratibala before the court resumed after lunch at 2 pm.
The case inter alia pertains to the shoddy affairs of the Education department which selected Aratibala as a teacher in 1999. Before she was given appointment, another candidate, Manjulata Behera, had challenged the selection of Aratibala and approached the High Court.
While admitting the petition of Manjulata, the HC had issued a notice to the State Government. The Government in an affidavit had informed the HC that Aratibala was selected for the post on the basis of her merit and Manjulata’s case has no merit.
While the matter was left at this stage, the Government did not offer any appointment letter to Aratibala even as the Government’s affidavit had clearly mentioned that she was selected for the post on the basis of her merit. Finding no other alternative, Aratibala had to approach the HC and, subsequently, her petition was admitted and the respondents were summoned to the court on Tuesday.