MAMATA NAYAK Vs. STATE OF ODISHA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Order dtd. 5/5/2025 passed by the State Mission Director-cum-CEO, Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) is under challenge in the present writ application, whereby the prayer of the petitioner for her reinstatement in the post of Block Livelihoods Coordinator-II (BLC-II) was rejected.

(2.) The facts of the case, briefly stated are that the Panchayati Raj Department introduced a project called Odisha Poverty Reduction Mission (TRIPTI). Pursuant to an advertisement issued for engagement of Cluster Coordinators under the said project, the petitioner submitted her candidature, was selected and appointed to work vide letter dtd. 15/12/2009. The project was closed on 30/6/2015 and the engagement of the petitioner and other persons similarly appointed was terminated w.e.f. 29/5/2015. 199 such affected persons approached this Court challenging their termination, which was stayed. In the meantime, the Government, as a matter of policy, decided to absorb the said employees under the Odisha Livelihood Mission. Basing on skilled mapping and personal interviews of all the candidates, including the petitioner, she was selected and appointed as Block Livelihood Coordinator (BLC) by executing an agreement on 23/2/2016, valid for one year. Though the contracts of other employees were subsequently renewed, the petitioner's contract was not renewed for reasons unknown to her. She approached the authorities, but to no avail. The petitioner and one Bikram Keshari Dhal approached this Court in W.P.(C). No. 1161 of 2018.

(3.) Heard Mr. A.K.Pandey, learned counsel for the petitioner, Mr. S.N.Pattnaik, learned AGA for the State and Mr. S.S.Mohanty, learned counsel for OLM.