53-yr-old 1984 riots victim’s kin secures govt job after HC intervention

A 53-year-old 1984 Sikh riots victim has successfully secured a government job under a scheme for riot victims following the Delhi high court’s intervention.

Petitioner Pankaj Bakshi had approached the high court in 2021 to seek a direction to the authorities to grant him employment in view of a 2006 central government order.

Taking up the plea, justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav noted that the Delhi government had recommended the petitioner’s name for a job, along with another victim.

An affidavit was filed by the sub-divisional magistrate informing the high court that the recommendation was made to the additional district magistrate (Headquarters)- II, office of the divisional commissioner, revenue department, the court noted.

Disposing of the petition on May 4, the high court directed that the recommendation be acted upon within six weeks.

Advocate Gagan Gandhi had filed the petition on behalf of Bakshi, also seeking direction to the Delhi government to pay compensation to him for loss of income since 2006 at the salary that he would have been entitled to draw.

According to the petition, Bakshi’s father Kashal Singh had died in the 1984 riots on November 1, 1984, at his house in Mangolpuri, Delhi. On July 20, 1986, his mother, Jaspal Kaur, also died due to prolonged illness caused by the riots.

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