Sophy Kunjipalu
The confusion arose from a reported delay in communicating the court order to the authorities of Toddy Workers’ Welfare Board.
After my husband’s death, I was groping in the dark, unsure of how I would make a living and support my children,” she said. “I now feel that a new door has opened for me to rebuild my life. However, the issue was resolved following the intervention of INTUC activists and Irinjalakuda MLA Thomas Unniyadan. Sophy had been denied employment at the Ponjanam toddy shop, where her husband had worked, despite being entitled to the job following his death. The authorities refused to appoint her on the grounds that Abkari Rules prohibited women from working in toddy shops. She subsequently approached Kerala High Court, which struck down the provision in Abkari Rules that barred women from working in toddy shops.
Sophy said there had been uncertainty over whether she would be allowed to rejoin duty even when she reached the shop on Sunday to report for work.