HC sets up panel to end RTC stir

After a fairly long period of time without any concrete step towards a redressal to the ongoing RTC strike, as a last resort, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday came to a decision to constitute a high powered committee, comprising three retired judges of the Supreme Court to conduct arbitral proceedings.

The court sought the response of the Telangana state government by Wednesday afternoon to its proposal to constitute the committee. However, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghavendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy made it clear to the government that it would “direct the state to participate in arbitration proceedings rather than requesting it.”

Chief Justice Chauhan said, “This time, this court will not request the government to hold talks with trade unions, as we have been doing so far. Rather, we will direct the government to appear before the committee.”

Welcoming the Telangana High Court’s decision to constitute a high-power committee comprising former judges of Supreme Court, RTC JAC convener E. Ashwathama Reddy hoped the dispute would be resolved and RTC workers would get justice.

“We wish that the committee will respect our rights and give us what we deserve. The High Court decision has instilled confidence among the workers that their demands will be achieved,” Mr Reddy told the media,

Meanwhile, RTC employees have decided to lodge a complaint with the NHRC over the police lathi-charge during the Million March on November 9, which resulted in injuries to several RTC employees.

RTC JAC co-convener Raji Reddy asked the injured employees to send their photographs to the corporation union office to be forwarded to the NHRC.