Telangana: SBI told not to finalise options

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed the State Bank of India not to finalise the options given by officers working in associate banks of the SBI till June 15.

Justice P. Naveen Rao granted the interim order while dealing with a petition by Associate Bank Officer Association and other officers of the associate banks.

The petitioners questioned the orders issued by the finance ministry and the SBI’s Corporate Centre on February 22, 2017, acquiring subsidiary banks, including the State Bank of Bikaner, State Bank of Hyderabad, State Bank of Travancore and State Bank of Patiala and also a letter issued on March 29, 2017 directing officers and employees to give their options to work with the SBI.

R. Vaigai, senior counsel from the Madras High Court appearing for the petitioners, submitted that the option letter has created confusion among the officers and employees working in the subsidiary banks.

She contended that the SBI cannot seek option from the petitioners without giving clarity about the working hours and service conditions.

Ms Vaigai brought to the notice of the court that the SBI also had not given any clarity with regard to pension schemes, leaves and other service conditions;  whether the conditions of the subsidiary banks will continue or the service conditions of the SBI staff will be made applicable to the officers and employees of subsidiary banks after the acquisition.

She said that the managerial-level officers in the subsidiary banks were in dilemma with regard to their status after the acquisition. Ms Vaigai told the court that the SBI had given 15 days to the officers and employees of associate banks to submit their options and Thursday was the last day to do so.

M. Narender Reddy, senior counsel for the SBI, submitted that finalisation option will take a lot of time as the SBI has to verify the options given by thousands of employees working in its associate banks.

The judge, while asking SBI counsel to advise the bank to extend the last date for submission of options, directed it not to finalise the options.

Writ: MLC filed false affidavit
A writ petition has been moved before the Hyderabad High Court seeking to direct the Election Commission of India to take action against TRS MLC Mynampally Hanumanth Rao for filing false affidavits, with regard to his educational qualifications in the Form-26 affidavit submitted during the elections held in 2009 and 2014 for the posts of MLA and in 2017 for the post of MLC.

P.M. Sai Prasad, a resident of Secunderabad, moved the petitions stating that the MLC had in his affidavits during 2009 and 2014 elections mentioned that he has completed his BBA in the USA and in his affidavit for MLC post in 2017, he mentioned Intermediate as his qualification.

The petitioner He urged the court to direct the EC to examine his representation and take action against the MLC.