Orissa High Court Orders Regularisation of 104 Employees from 1994, Rebukes State Government

Bhubaneswar, April 25: In a landmark judgment, the Orissa High Court has directed the Odisha government to grant retrospective regularisation to 104 employees dating back to 1994, ending a three‑decade legal battle.

The case originated in 1992–93, when over 100 individuals were recruited as casual workers through a formal process.

Though orders for regularisation were issued in early 1994, they were abruptly halted in April of that year, leaving the workers in limbo.

A division bench comprising Justice Krishna Shripad Dixit and Justice Chittaranjan Dash struck down the 1994 abeyance order and a subsequent ruling of the State Administrative Tribunal, terming them legally untenable.

The court noted that of the 104 employees, 57 have retired, 21 have passed away, and 26 remain in service.

It ordered the state to extend full service and financial benefits retrospectively from 1994, including pensions and compensation for families of deceased workers.

The government has been given three months to comply, failing which penalties of Rs 5,000 per petitioner and interest recoverable from responsible officials will apply.

The bench criticised the State Administrative Tribunal for prolonging proceedings and rejected the state’s claim of irregular appointments, affirming that the workers were duly selected and continuously served.

The court emphasised that governance must reflect compassion, fairness, and accountability.