Court Reverses NECTAR's Arbitrary Scientist Dismissals

The Meghalaya High Court has reinstated four scientists dismissed from the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR) in 2022, ruling the termination as legally void. The court's judgement, issued on Tuesday, mandates their reinstatement along with back pay and service benefits.

Chief Justice I P Mukerji, with Justice W Diengdoh concurring, criticized the arbitrary nature of the dismissals, stating that the decision was made "at the whim and caprice of the secretary." The scientists – Ankit Shrivastava, Simon Phukan, Simanta Das, and Rakesh Kumar Sarmah – had been validly appointed in November 2021 with approvals from NECTAR's Executive Committee and Governing Council.

The abrupt cancellation of their appointments during the 9th Governing Council meeting in August 2022 was reportedly due to objections from the Department of Science and Technology Secretary. The court noted the undue hardship faced by the scientists, many of whom had left previous employment to join NECTAR, underscoring the judgment's emphasis on due process and institutional independence.

(With inputs from agencies.)