The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to issue Government Resolution by 3 pm today specifying the constitution of the special committee to look into the issue raised by the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) employees that they should be treated as employees of the state government.
Noting that it was a serious issue, a vacation bench of justices SJ Kathawalla and SP Tavade has also directed that the committee hold its first meeting today itself at 4 pm and submit Minutes of the Meeting to the court by 5 pm.
“The meeting of the Committee will be held at 4.00 p.m. and the minutes will be placed before the Court at 5.00 p.m. recording therein that the Committee has met today pursuant to the GR to consider the issue raised by the workers of the MSRTC that they be treated as employees of the State Government and fixing the next meeting within 10 (ten) days from today,” reads the order.
Gunaratan Sadavarte, advocate for the employees said that the employees were not willing to end the strike till the GR is issued and the first meeting is held. The employees have been on strike since midnight of November 3-4.
Once the Minutes of Meeting reaches the court and all the concerned advocates go through it, “the unions representing the employees of MSRTC shall forthwith withdraw the strike/agitation and resume their duties”, the court has said.
The government informed the HC in the morning that the committee shall be constituted today itself comprising - Additional Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of the Finance Department and Additional Chief Secretary of the Transport Department. The Managing Director of MSRTC shall act as a coordinator and assist the above Committee. He shall have no powers in the decision making, the government has said.
The committee has been tasked with hearing representatives of 28 unions and the MSRTC and submit their decision/ recommendations to the Chief Minister (CM).
The HC has directed the CM to consider the recommendations and submit the same to the court with his views/ opinion.
In view of the urgency of the issue, the judges have directed that the “entire exercise shall be completed within a period of twelve weeks from today”.
In addition, the committee has been directed to submit a progress report before the HC every fortnight.
