Gujarat High Court Slams ONGC for “Union-Driven” Job Cancellation

Ahmedabad : The Gujarat High Court has directed the Ministry of Petroleum to take action against Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) authorities for their role in the controversial cancellation of recruitment for paramedical posts in Gujarat state, a decision alleged to have been influenced by the ONGC Union leaders.

The High Court bench, in a scathing observation, highlighted the deprivation faced by the petitioners, slamming the ONGC’s actions as arbitrary and unjust. As a result, the court mandated that the authorities compensate the affected petitioners by initiating payment of their respective post salaries, effective from the date the petitions were filed.

The case, led by Dipendra Singh Thakur and several other petitioners, challenged the unilateral move made by ONGC authorities in axing the recruitment for paramedical posts. Their outcry found resonance in the Gujarat High Court, prompting a closer examination of the contentious decision.

The roots of this dispute trace back to the recruitment drive initiated by ONGC, inviting applications in 2019 for non-executive roles, specifically in the paramedical domain. Advertisements were circulated, highlighting 35 vacancies encompassing roles like pharmacists Grade-IV, Allopathy Nurses Grade-IV, and junior health attendants.

However, the saga took a contentious turn when ONGC rejected certain applicants’ submissions, citing a lack of domicile certificates. Undeterred, the aggrieved candidates took their grievances to court, which ruled in their favor, compelling ONGC to continue with the recruitment process.

Despite this directive, ONGC faced internal pressure from established unions raising concerns about the existing contractual paramedics. These unions, pushing for a halt in the recruitment drive for regular paramedical positions, compelled the ONGC authorities to abruptly cancel the process via an order issued on February 1, 2022.

The fallout from this decision landed squarely in the Gujarat High Court, which, after a thorough evaluation, deemed ONGC’s actions as arbitrary and injudicious. The court’s ruling stands not only as a rebuke to the unilateral cancellation but also as a call for accountability within the ONGC hierarchy.

Dipendra Singh Thakur, a petitioner said, “This victory in court is not just for us, but for fairness and transparency in recruitment processes. We hope this sets a precedent for respecting due procedures.”

“The ramifications of this ruling are poised to reverberate not only within the ONGC corridors but also in the wider landscape of recruitment procedures, underscoring the imperative of adherence to fair practices in such processes” added Singh.