Odisha seeks reply on vacancy in S&ME legal cell

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Nov 26:

The Odisha High Court has asked the additional secretary, School and Mass Education (S&ME), to furnish a reply on why vacant posts in the department’s legal cell is yet to be filled up.
A single bench judge of Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi on Tuesday asked the additional director to appear in person and give clarification to this effect on December 3.

The directive of the court came in response to a writ filed by Madan Mohan Routray, a teacher.

The petitioner had informed the court that the department is yet to provide him the post-retirement benefits after his superannuation in 2009.

While hearing the petition, the court asked the assistant law officer of the department about the number of such pending cases to which he said there are nearly 45,000 cases against the department.

Besides, the court, while verifying the records of the department regarding formation of the cell, found that since the formation of the cell in 1998, the department has not taken any step to fill up the vacant posts in its legal cell despite the approval of the Finance department.