GHC Kohima Bench directs State respondents to ‘consider and dispose off’ plea by aggrieved individual
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 28
In a case reflecting the concerning ‘state of affairs’ in Nagaland, a citizen of Longsa village had to wait for over 46 years to possibly see some movement on a job promised to him by the State Government.
However, to get ‘justice,’ he had to knock on Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court's door, after his previous application and representation to concerned state authorities did not receive any positive response.
As per an order issued by the court on February 23, when the Imzuluba Government High School, Longsa was established in 1975, the State Government acquired the lands from 16 individuals promising to give employment to each landowner.
Accordingly, 15 of the 16 landowners got Grade-IV posts, but the concerned person, I Ao was left out, and he waited patiently for the fulfillment of the promise over the years.
“He waited for so many years in the expectation that the promise would be kept one day,” noted the order.
As there was no positive response from the Government’s side even after a lapse of many years, he submitted an application on September 28, 2021 to the Director of School Education, Government of Nagaland requesting for appointment in “any Grade-IV post as per the promise made, at the time of establishment of the school.”
The application was supported by No Objection Certificate from Longsa Village Council, Chairman of the School Managing Committee and the Headmaster of the school.
As there was no response from the concerned authority, Ao submitted another representation, stating all the facts and circumstances, requesting for appointment to any grade-IV post to the Special Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, School Education Department and the Principal Director of School Education, Government of Nagaland on November 10, 2021.
Again, he did not receive any favourable or positive response for the representation, the order said.
Aggrieved and left without any alternative, he filed a writ petition in the Court praying for “issuance of appropriate order or direction directing the respondents to consider his representation and to dispose the same within a specific period of time.”
The respondents were the State of Nagaland represented by the Chief Secretary, Special Secretary to the Government of Nagaland, School Education Department; and the Principal Director, School Education Nagaland Kohima.
“Considering the nature of the grievance of the petitioner as submitted by his learned counsel and the facts and circumstances leading to the filing of this writ petition, I am of the view that the writ petition can be dispose off with a direction as prayed for,” Justice Songkhupchung Serto observed, disposing the case in the first hearing.
Accordingly, the court directed the State Government, particularly the Principal Director, School Education, Nagaland, to consider and dispose off the November 10, 2021 representation within a period of 3 months from the date of receipt of a copy of its order.
The Government Advocate appearing on behalf of the State respondents also submitted that she has “no objection in disposing of the petition in the manner as prayed for.”
It is not known how the issue would be finally resolved, however, over 46 years have lapsed since the pledge was made.
