After waiting in vain for 42 years for a job through the employment exchange, a 65-year-old man has now moved the Madras High Court praying for a direction to the government to pay him compensation and old age pension.
E Rajendran of Thiruverkadu in Tiruvallur district, an SC, is educated up to class V. He had worked as a mechanic helper at a private auto works in Poonamallee from 1964 to 1968. In October 1971, he registered his name at the employment exchange and had been renewing it once in three years.
Rajendran, in his writ petition, contended that till date he had not even received a single call letter from the employment exchange, although he was eligible for appointment as a grade-four servant in the departments which could use mechanical service. When he last renewed the registration on November 23, 2011, he was 60 years and nine months old. However, the officer, without application of mind, renewed the registration upto November, 2014.
He prayed for a direction from the HC to the government to pay a compensation of `5 lakh so that he could conduct the marriage of his daughter and an old age pension of `3,000 per month.
Justice K K Sasidharan, before whom the writ petition came up for hearing on June 5, directed the Tiruvallur Collector to file a report indicating the total number of recruitments made subsequent to October 11, 1971 through the employment exchange. He should also file a report as to how many persons were employed without reference to employment exchange. The reports should be filed by July 31, the judge added.