Supreme Court raps Himachal Pradesh govt over denial of job to 2014 Asian Games gold winner

New Delhi: This is how you encourage sports persons? the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Himachal Pradesh government for reportedly denying employment to an Asian Games gold medallist under the sports quota.

A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took exception of the fact that Pooja Thakur, a gold medallist in the 2014 Asian Games, was made to run from pillar to post for years for her employment.

"This is how you encourage sports persons? Somebody won a gold medal in the Asian games of 2014; your chief minister should have a pragmatic approach...This is the approach of the state while dealing with the sports persons," the bench remarked.

The top court, as a result, dismissed the appeal filed by the Himachal Pradesh government against her appointment to the post of excise and taxation officer effective the date of her application to the CM in July, 2015.

Thakur won the gold medal in kabaddi during the Asian Games held at Incheon, South Korea in 2014. She was also awarded a silver medal in the 2015 National Games.

The state government in its appeal challenged a 2023 high court division bench order, which upheld a single judge's order directing Thakur's appointment to the post.

The division bench had refused to interfere with order of the single judge who directed the authorities to offer her appointment to the the post in the Department of Excise and Taxation, Government of Himachal Pradesh, from the date of her application to the then Chief Minister. The high court held she was entitled to all the consequential benefits from such dates including seniority.

The high court noted the state authorities were not happy over Thakur reportedly approaching them for appointment to a class-I post by filing two original applications and they were annoyed by it.

"It is highly unreasonable on the part of the appellants to seek to deny the benefit granted by the learned single judge to the 1st respondent of being appointed against the post of excise and taxation officer in the Department of Excise and Taxation from the date she submitted application to the then chief minister in July, 2015," it said.