CUTTACK: In a case of a woman who has been made to work as cashier at the Mahila Branch of United Puri-Nimapara Central Cooperative Bank Ltd in Puri for over 23 years, but with the salary of a peon, the Orissa High Court on Tuesday urged the competent authority to consider regularisation of her services as a cashier.
According to case records, after the death of Sarangadhar Baliarsingh, a manager of another branch of the bank in Puri, his wife Tilottama Baliarsingh was appointed as temporary peon (Grade VII Post) at the Mahila Branch under the Rehabilitation Assistance Scheme on July 17, 1999.
Her services were regularised in the post of peon on October 29, 2011 while she was continuing to function as cashier. By an order issued on October 9, 2001, she was directed to function as cashier (Grade VI Post). She then filed a petition in the high court in December 2011 seeking direction to the bank to regularise her services in the post of cashier.
Disposing of the petition, Justice MS Raman quashed the order of the secretary of the bank which had regularised services of Tilottama in the post of peon.
“In consequence thereof, it is requested that the competent authority of the United Puri-Nimapara Central Cooperative Bank Ltd. shall consider the case of the petitioner for regularisation of service in the post of cashier,” Justice Raman said. He hoped that the authorities conclude the entire exercise within a period of three months hence.
Justifying his order, Justice Raman said the petitioner has more than six years of experience with good career and clean service records. “The petitioner was entrusted with higher responsibility attached to the post of cashier even though appointed as peon as “temporary employee” and it is perceptible from the branch manager’s report that she has been discharging her duty sincerely, honestly, efficiently and was fit enough to be considered for regularisation in the post of cashier. Therefore, she would be entitled to financial benefits attached to the higher post,” Justice Raman ruled.