Orissa HC Orders To Reinstate Constable Terminated From Service 25 Yrs Back For Short Height

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has ordered the state government to reinstate a police constable who was reportedly terminated from service for short of height by 1 cm 25 years ago.

The court has directed the authorities concerned to condone the height of 1 cm and allow the complainant to resume training for left out period and continue in service as before.

The complainant, Dolamani Bishi  had joined as a ‘writer constable’ on August 16, 1993. He was selected by the selection committee consisting of Balangir SP as chairman and principal of Police Training School, Nayagarh and DSP, Balangir as members. His height was recorded as 168 cm, chest 81/90 cm and weight 65 kg.

On March 14, 1994, he was deputed for training at Police Training School at Hatibari in Sundargarh for nine months. While Dolamani was under training, he was sent back by the Principal of the training school due to alleged shortage of height by 1 cm on September 19, 1994.

Later, Dolamani moved the High Court after Odisha Administrative Tribunal rejected his petition challenging the termination of his service.

After hearing the case, a division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice BR Sarangi directed the Odisha government to reinstate the petitioner in service by condoning the height of one cm and allowing him to resume training for left-out period and continue in service as before.