The Allahabad High Court upheld a directive requiring Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) employees to perform census duties [1].
The ruling ensures that the government can utilize the administrative workforce of the state-owned insurer to conduct the national population count. This decision removes a legal hurdle that could have delayed the census timeline by limiting the available personnel for data collection.
The case reached the court in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, after the North Central Zone Insurance Employees filed a writ petition [1, 2]. The employees challenged the direction issued by concerned authorities, arguing against the assignment of these additional responsibilities to insurance staff.
After reviewing the petition, the court said there was no merit in the arguments presented by the insurance employees [1, 2]. The judges dismissed the petition and said that the authorities have the right to entrust census duties to LIC staff to ensure the operation's success.
This legal confirmation allows the government to proceed with its staffing plan for the census without further interference from the insurance employees' association [2]. The court's decision reinforces the state's authority to mobilize public sector employees for essential national administrative tasks.
“The court upheld the direction to entrust census duties to LIC employees”
This ruling underscores the Indian government's ability to leverage public sector employees for large-scale administrative projects. By dismissing the challenge from the North Central Zone Insurance Employees, the court has prioritized the operational needs of the national census over the contractual or professional objections of the LIC workforce.
