Energy dept seeks to defer Singareni trade union polls by three months

 Hyderabad: The state energy department requested the Telangana High Court to extend by three months the deadline to conduct elections for 15 trade unions in the Singareni Collieries Company Limited.

On October 12, the division bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe, directed the deputy chief labour commissioner to hold the Singareni trade union elections on December 27 and declare the results on the same day.

The elections were already delayed by six months as the previous state government sought time from the High Court to prepare a voters’ list for the purpose, citing that the machinery was busy with the preparations for the state Assembly polls.

Currently, the energy department filed an interim application seeking three more months to complete the elections citing the change of guard in the state, and that it would require more time to make the necessary preparations.

The division bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Jukanti Anil Kumar gave the trade unions and Singareni Collieries Company Limited three days to file their affidavits. The case was adjourned to December 21.