Cuttack: Orissa high court has cleared the way for appointment of firemen and fireman drivers in the understaffed fire stations of the state with clear directions to fill up 941 vacant posts.
The order is significant as the recruitment process that started in 2023 remained stalled for over 10 months. It was challenged through several petitions regarding not filling up of the vacancies, which were earmarked as a 10% quota reserved for the home guards category.
The HC, in an interim order in Jan 2024, stayed the appointment process, consequent to which the appointment orders issued in favour of the selected candidates could not be given effect.
While disposing of the batch of petitions on Tuesday, the single judge bench of Justice S K Panigrahi said the grievances of the petitioners, particularly with respect to filling up the posts against the 10% earmarked quota for the home guard category, have been redressed with the redrawn select list that has been produced in court.
Justice Panigrahi stated, “No fruitful purpose will be served by keeping the matter pending and allowing the vacancies to remain unfilled for years together. There is always an urgent need to facilitate the joining of fire and emergency service personnel for training and subsequent deployment. Any delay in such a recruitment process will be detrimental to the public interest, and the general public will be at the receiving end.”
The judge added, “Fire service being an essential service entrusted with the task of assessing the full range of foreseeable fire, saving people from fire and related risks, making provision for prevention and protection activities, and responding to fire incidents appropriately.”
The Fireman and Fireman Driver Recruitment Board advertised 941 vacancies – 826 firemen and 115 firemen drivers on Aug 29, 2023. Until the HC stayed the appointment process, the Board prepared a select list through a competitive recruitment examination and issued appointment orders without earmarking the 10% quota for the home guard category.
Before the disposal of petitions, the board filed an affidavit stating that the 10% quota earmarked for the home guard category has been filled up in letter and spirit in the redrawn select list. Most of the petitioners were placed in the redrawn list. Hence, the grievance of most of the petitioners stands redressed, the affidavit said.