Punjab and Haryana High Court notice to state in Dasehra Amritsar train tragedy case

Chandigarh, August 16

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice of motion to the state of Punjab on a petition filed in public interest for quashing an order appointing 34 wards/heirs of 2018 Dasehra Amritsar train tragedy victims.

Petitioner-NGO Ameliorating India claimed it was done clandestinely through backdoor and hurriedly, despite the grant of Rs 7 lakh as compensation to the kin of each victim. Taking up the petition filed through counsel Lt Col Naresh Ghai, the Bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli fixed November 23 as the next date of hearing in the matter.

Appearing before the Bench, Ghai submitted the Punjab Government on July 25 issued the appointment order by illegally referring to the policy meant for compassionate appointments to the wards of the deceased employees. He added the process was carried out in a hurry to rule out the possibility of challenge to their appointment. “No order has been put on any website,” the Bench was told. — TNS

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