Pritimayee Patra v. State Of Odisha

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ORISSA AT CUTTACK

WP(C) No.26988 of 2022 Pritimayee Patra ....

Petitioner Mr. P.S. Das, Advocate -versus1. State of Odisha

2. Collector, Keonjhar

3. Sub-Collector, Keonjhar

4. Child Development Project Officer (C.D.P.O.), Telkoi ....

Opp. Parties Mr. Saswat Das Addl. Government Advocate

CORAM:

JUSTICE S.K. SAHOO Order No.

ORDER

31.10.2022 01.

This matter is taken up through Hybrid arrangement (video conferencing/physical mode).

Heard learned counsel for the petitioner as well as learned Addl. Government Advocate for the State of Odisha.

In this writ petition, the petitioner Pritimayee Patra has prayed for disposal of her representation under Annexure-4 by the opposite party no.3 Sub-Collector, Keonjhar within a stipulated time.

// 2 // It is the case of the petitioner that she was a candidate for selection for the post of Anganwadi Worker of Deuladiha-I Anganwadi Centre under Deuladiha Gram Panchayat in the district of Keonjhar and as per the advertisement issued under Annexure-1, the petitioner submitted her application and though she was supposed to remain physically present on 27.09.2022 before the Authority for verification of the application and the document but she suddenly fell ill for which she was hospitalized in Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar and in that context, the father of the petitioner submitted an application on 27.09.2022 before the opposite party no.4 Child Development Project Officer, Telkoi Block indicating the health condition of the petitioner and also seeking for time to produce the relevant documents.

The contention of the learned counsel for the petitioner that though at a later point of time on the very same day, the documents were produced before the authority by the family members of the petitioner but those were not accepted and ultimately a verification list was published on 27.09.2022 by the opposite party no.4 in which in column no.16, the petitioner has been shown to be 'absent'. Learned counsel further submitted that highlighting her grievances, the petitioner submitted representation before the opposite party no.3 under Annexure-4 and the same may be considered at an

// 3 // earliest.

Learned counsel for the State drew the attention of this Court to Annexure-1 which indicates that the candidates should physically remain present for verification of the documents. It is pointed out that since the petitioner could not remain present physically, the authorities rightly published the verification list indicating the petitioner to be 'absent'.

Considering the submissions made by the learned counsel for the respective parties and since the representation is pending before the authorities and after going through the relevant documents annexed to the writ petition particularly, the medical document of a Government Hospital, I direct the opposite party no.3 Sub-Collector, Keonjhar to consider the representation of the petitioner in accordance with law after giving opportunity of hearing to her and the date of hearing of representation shall be communicated to the petitioner within one week from today in writing and every endeavour shall be made to conclude the same within a period of one month thereafter after giving opportunities of hearing to the respective parties and communicate the order to the parties concerned. The authorities are at liberty to verify the authenticity of the medical document of Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, which has been annexed to this writ petition.

// 4 // Accordingly, this writ petition is disposed of. A free copy of this order be handed over to the learned counsel for the State which will be communicated to the opposite party no.3 Sub-Collector, Keonjhar for compliance.

Issue urgent certified copy as per Rules.

( S.K. Sahoo) Judge RKM