On Saturday, a grievous incident occurred at the Rajasthan High Court, wherein Manish Kumar Saini, a contractual clerk employed in the Advocate General’s office, reportedly died by suicide within the court premises. Preliminary investigations indicate that the act may have stemmed from prolonged financial distress, attributed to the non-receipt of his stipend over several months
Saini was engaged in ongoing litigation concerning his employment status, with a case pending adjudication in the Supreme Court aimed at securing his position as a regular employee of the High Court. Family members have disclosed that Mr. Saini’s modest remuneration of Rs 4,000-4,500 was insufficient to cover travel expenses incurred while attending court hearings. On the day of the incident, he departed home in apparent good spirits but subsequently engaged in this tragic act, leaving behind a suicide note expressing his anguish regarding the unresolved status of his employment and mounting financial obligations.
In the aftermath of this incident, Mr. Saini’s family, including his brother and aunt, organized protests, demanding adequate compensation and job security for his widow, Seema Kumar Saini. The family has formally requested Rs 1 crore in compensation, alongside employment for the widow and educational support for their children.
In response to the tragedy, the Advocate General’s office has announced the provision of financial support amounting to Rs 10 lakh from the state government, with an additional Rs 1 lakh contributed by the office itself. Moreover, the state government has assured the provision of employment for Seema Kumar Saini. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has called upon the government to facilitate financial assistance for the bereaved family and advocated for the regularisation of all contractual employees within the state. He emphasized that during his administration, initiatives were instituted to secure the future of over one lakh contract workers, urging the current government to advance these reformative measures.
Following Saini’s untimely death, the state has revised the remuneration structure for contractual staff, including stenographers and clerks, with new salary scales to take effect on October 1, 2024.