HC gives government two weeks to give job to blast victim

The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday orally directed the state government to give a job to N S Leesha, who lost her leg in the Malleswaram bomb blast in April 2013, and later frame rules for making such compassionate appointments.

During the hearing on a contempt petition filed by Leesha for not complying with court directions to give her a government job, government counsel D Nagaraj sought time to identify the post subject to the rules that have to be framed by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR). He said the government had decided to offer her a group ‘C’ job on compassionate grounds.

Accordingly, a division bench of Justices Jayant Patel and S Sujatha gave the government two weeks to identify the post for Leesha and ordered notices to the state government and the Union home secretary before adjourning the hearing until July 13. The high court had previously ordered Karnataka to provide Leesha a government job within three months. The chief minister had put a note that the matter would be placed before the Cabinet, but no action was taken until recently. It was only recently that the Cabinet approved her appointment.

The Centre increased the compensation to Leesha from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh but she is yet to receive Rs 2 lakh.