Stigma - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition stigma

Definition :

Stigma, denotes loss of confidence by the employer amount to 'stigma', Kamal Kishore Lakshman v. Pan American World Airways, AIR 1987 SC 229: (1987) 1 SCC 146.

Stigma, is something that detracts from the character or reputation of a person, a mark, sign etc., indicting that something is not considered normal or standard (Webster's New World Dictionary), Dipti Prakash Banerjee v. Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, (1999) 3 SCC 60.

Stigma, is understood to be something that is detraction from the character or reputation of a person. It is blemish, imputation, mark or label indicating a deviation from a norm, mere description of background fact cannot be called as stigma. State of U.P. v. Ram Bachan Tripathi, AIR 2005 SC 3212.

--in the absence of a statutory definition of the word 'stigma', its meaning as available in dictionaries. According to Webster's New World Dictionary it is something that detracts from the character or reputation of a person, a mark, sign, etc. indicating that something is not considered normal or standard. The Legal Thesuras by Burton gives the meaning of the word to be blemish, defect, disgrace, disrepute, imputation, mark of disgrace or shame. The Webster's Third New International Dictionary gives the meaning as a mark or label indicating a deviation from a norm. According to yet another dictionary 'stigma' is a matter for moral reproach. Loss of confidence by the employer in the employee is a feature which certainly affects the character or reputation of the employee and, therefore, this Court correctly held in Chandu Lal case that allegation of loss of confidence amounted to a stigma. The ratio in Jagdish Mitter case also supports this conclusion, Kamal Kishore Lakshman v. Management of Pan American World Airways Inc., AIR 1987 SC 229 (231): (1987) 1 SCC 146.

Stigma, according to the dictionary meaning, is something that detracts from the character or reputation of a person, a mark, sign etc. indicating that something is not considered normal or standard. It is a blemish, defect, disgrace, disrepute, imputation, mark of disgrace or shame and mark or label indicating deviation from a norm. In the context of an order of termination or compulsory retirement of a government servant stigma would mean a statement in the order indicating his misconduct or lack of integrity, Allahabad Bank Officers' Assn. v. Allahabad Bank, AIR 1996 SC 2030: (1996) 4 SCC 504.

Stigma, is understood to be something that is detrac-tion from the character or reputation of a person. It is a blemish, imputation, a mark or label indicating a deviation from a norm, State of Uttar Pradesh v. Ram Bachan Tripathi, (2005) 6 SCC 496.

Means as a mark or label indicating a deviation from a norm (Webster's Third New International Dic-tionary), Dipti Prakash Banerjee v. Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, (1999) 3 SCC 60.

Means blemish, defect, disgrace, disrepute, impu-tation, mark of disgrace or shame (Legal Thesaurus by Burton), Dipti Prakash Banerjee v. Satyendra Nath Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, (1999) 3 SCC 60.