Karnataka HC Orders Officials to Personally Pay ₹2 Lakh for Delaying Woman Lawyer’s Certificate

The Karnataka High Court directed members of the Hassan District Caste-Income Committee to personally pay ₹2 lakh as compensation to a woman lawyer whose caste-income certificate was delayed for a year.

She had applied for the certificate to qualify for appointment as an Additional Public Prosecutor. The committee wrongly assessed her eligibility based on her husband's income, while the law clearly says a woman’s status depends on her father’s income.

The Court held that the delay was due to negligence or ignorance, causing her unnecessary hardship and litigation. The officials, not the State, were held personally liable for the lapse.