Shimla, Aug. 11 -- The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Monday directed the State government to issue an appointment letter to a man whose compassionate appointment had been withheld for over four years due to a pending criminal case, ruling that mere registration of an FIR for petty offences cannot be grounds to deny employment.

Justice Sandeep Sharma, delivering the order in Yog Raj versus State of Himachal Pradesh and Others, observed that until an accused is convicted by a competent court, he is deemed innocent, and denial of appointment solely on the basis of a pending FIR -- especially for minor offences -- is unsustainable.

The case dates back to 2009, when the petitioner's father, a Junior Basic Teacher in the Elementary Education...