Kerala High Court Asks State To Formulate Permanent Scheme For Resolving Issues Faced By KSRTC In Dispensing Salary To Its Employees

The Kerala High Court on Thursday asked the State government to formulate a permanent solution or scheme for resolving the issues faced by KSRTC in dispensing salary to its employees.

Justice Devan Ramachandran was hearing the petitions filed by the employees of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation seeking direction to the Corporation and its Managing Director to formulate a scheme for payment of salary to its employees at least before the 5th day of every month.

While adjourning the matter to be called on 19th December, the bench remarked:

I, therefore, am of the firm view that these writ petitions cannot be disposed of until this Court is able to obtain necessary inputs from the Government, as to how they propose to make the KSRTC self reliant and how it can be ensured in future that the salary and benefits to the employees are paid without delay.

When the matter was taken up today, Special Government Pleader Advocate Santhosh Kumar submitted that the Government is still ensuring that the salaries of the KSRTC employees are paid within the time frame undertaken before the Court. 

However, with respect to a permanent solution to be put in place, Kumar submitted that the Government required more time since a proper policy will have to be evolved. He added that they're also trying to figure out whether KSRTC can become self-sufficient, at least in the future. 

The Court opined that as of now, there is no indication that KSRTC can become self-reliant immediately and hence the aid provided by the Government has to be maintained.

It is in this context that I wanted the Government to consider and propose a permanent scheme, especially taking note of the practical situation and the ground realities...monetization of the assets of the KSRTC was also one of the aspects that this Court has emphasized; but I did not see any reaction coming from their part, Justice Ramachandran added. 

R. Baji v. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation Ltd.

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