High Court Rebukes Electricity Corporation for Denying Job to Naval Veteran
Honoring Skills and Ensuring Rehabilitation
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has sharply criticized the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), a state-owned power utility, for unfairly denying an appointment to a former Indian Navy serviceman. The court, led by Justice Harpreet Singh Brar, emphasized that the technical skills and rigorous training acquired during service must be honored in a “practical manner” by providing employment opportunities. The case involved Vinod Kumar, a naval veteran who had applied for the post of Junior Engineer (Electrical) under the ex-servicemen quota. Despite clearing the recruitment test, he was denied the job after the corporation questioned the validity of his naval trade equivalence certificate. The court pointed out that two other ex-servicemen with similar qualifications had been successfully appointed under the same advertisement, highlighting the corporation’s inconsistent and arbitrary approach.
A Duty to Support Ex-Servicemen
The court’s ruling went beyond the specific case, stressing a broader social responsibility to facilitate the rehabilitation of armed forces personnel who retire at a relatively young age. Justice Brar warned against applying recruitment rules so rigidly that they effectively nullify the benefit of reservation for ex-servicemen. The judge directed the managing director of the DHBVN to file a detailed affidavit explaining the basis for their decision and how many ex-servicemen have been selected since the essential conditions for the junior engineer posts were implemented. This strong rebuke underscores the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that the contributions of servicemen and women are recognized and that their transition to civilian life is not hindered by bureaucratic hurdles.
