Karnataka High Court
Bengaluru: Karnataka high court has issued a show-cause notice to the state govt over the failure to issue a caste validity certificate to a nurse at the state-owned Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubballi, for over 16 years, leaving her on a consolidated salary of Rs 10,000 a month despite a court order passed in 2011. Anusuya again approached the court in 2025, following which an order directed the authorities to complete the process within two months. While another employee performing the same duties was receiving a salary in the pay scale of Rs 36,000 to Rs 67,550, Anusuya was living on a consolidated monthly salary of Rs 10,000, the bench noted.
A division bench of Justices M Nagaprasanna and Hema Kulkarni passed the order Wednesday while hearing a writ appeal filed by the nurse, Anusuya P Koti. The court questioned why the loss of salary suffered by Anusuya should not be determined and recovered from the officers responsible for the prolonged delay. The bench also sought an explanation on why exemplary costs should not be imposed for allowing the employee to suffer despite repeated representations and court orders. However, the process has still not been completed. The court observed that the deputy commissioner or competent district caste verification committee had failed to act despite repeated interventions, and the delay had resulted in continuing financial deprivation of the petitioner.
It directed the state to disclose the reasons for the delay, identify the officers responsible at different stages, and detail steps taken to comply with earlier directions.
The matter has been posted for Oct 29, when the state is required to place its explanation before the court. Because an authority had failed to decide her entitlement, the court said the state, as a model employer, could not remain a silent spectator to such deprivation, and an employee could not be left at a perpetual financial disadvantage. Administrative lethargy cannot become a legitimate reason to deny an employee the fruits of her labour, nor can the silence of an authority be permitted to speak louder than the commands of this court — Karnataka HC division bench