‘Dead in records', govt staffer denied pay for 5 years, Haryana Human Rights Commission orders restoration

Time of India

2 days ago

Gurgaon: Recalling an idea from the Shakespearean play Julius Caesar—that the dead may sometimes exert greater influence than the living— in a bizarre case which flags a stark inversion of this idea, the rights commission questioned why a man undeniably alive and diligently performing his duties is being treated as deceased.
Posted at the public health department, Rohtak, Vijay Kumar hasn't received his salary since 2020 because his Aadhaar record marks him as "deceased." The Haryana Human Rights Commission (HHRC) has noted that the health department's failure to update the employee's record on the HKRN portal has landed Kumar in prolonged financial hardship and mental agony, undermining his right to work with dignity.
"A man undeniably alive, diligently performing his duties, is being officially treated as deceased.
This has not only deprived him of his rightful wages but also subjected him to indignity and unnecessary hardship. Ignoring the service of a living employee in such a manner is an administrative failure," the commission noted.
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The bench, comprising Chairperson Justice (Rtd) Lalit Batra and Members Kuldip Jain and Deep Bhatia, noted that such treatment appears contrary to Article 7 of the United Nations International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which recognises the right to just and favourable conditions of work, including remuneration ensuring a decent living for workers and their families.
The non-payment of wages for work performed constitutes a violation of the employee's human rights, particularly the right to livelihood and dignity as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India and reaffirmed in international human rights instruments.
The department's inaction amounts to an arbitrary deprivation of earnings, impairing the complainant's ability to support himself and his family, the bench said.
Finding prima facie evidence of administrative negligence and violation of the complainant's rights, the commission directed immediate action to restore the employee's salary, correct all records, and ensure that no employee faces such an anomalous and unjust situation in the future.
The commission has called for a report on necessary corrections to the complainant's Aadhaar record from the additional deputy commissioner, Rohtak, and the commissioner & secretary, citizen resources information department (CRID), Govt of Haryana, before the next hearing on Sept 23, 2025.
Dr Puneet Arora, protocol, information & public relations officer, said the commission has directed officials of the public health engineering department to submit a detailed report within four weeks. This report should cover steps taken to correct the complainant's status in all official records, including Aadhaar; measures to ensure immediate disbursement of all pending salary dues; and departmental accountability for the delay and the hardships caused.
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