Can't fire staff for criminal case not related to job: Telangana HC tells RTC

HYDERABAD: Justice S. Nanda of the Telangana High Court ruled that an employee cannot be suspended or terminated from services for his involvement in a criminal case not connected with his employment. The judge was dealing with a writ petition filed by Balaramudu, an RTC conductor. The court allowed the petition, which challenged the proceedings from his suspension to termination. It is the case of the conductor that he was not only falsely implicated in a criminal case but was also, without the authority of law, placed under suspension and illegally terminated from service. In her verdict, Justice Nanda declared that the suspension of the employee for an offence unconnected with his duties was impermissible. She directed the authorities to reinstate an employee once enlarged on bail and faulted the corporation for failure to reinstate the petitioner. The judge directed it to reinstate the petitioner with all consequential benefits.

 

Sports body asked to clear dues to a former employee

 

Justice S. Nanda of the Telangana High Court declared that the state cannot keep disciplinary proceedings pending for years together and under the guise of the said proceedings cannot deny payment of gratuity and other retirement benefits. The judge allowed a writ petition filed by a former employee of the state sports authority, K. Dora Reddy. In his petition, the petitioner questioned the non-payment of arrears of over ₹ four lakhs and the failure to fix his terminal benefits. The regional sports authority contended that bills produced by him were bogus. It would be the official claim that from a sum of over ₹40 lakhs, a sum of ₹21 lakhs was liable to be recovered from the petitioner. Justice Nanda pointed out that for amounts allegedly due for the period from 1985 to 1994 notices were issued in 2006. She also recorded that the continuance of the disciplinary proceedings was not traced or stated. Directing payment of the stated sum of ₹four lakhs and fixation of full pension in four weeks, the judge rejected that an employee is only entitled to provisional pension saying pension and gratuity are no longer any bounties to be disbursed by the government to its employees but are valuable rights.

 

Engg College urged to allow students to write exams

 

Justice M. Sudheer Kumar of the Telangana High Court directed the authorities of JNTU and the Hyderabad Institute of Technology and Management (HITM) to permit a student to appear in the ongoing IV-year semester examination. The judge passed the interim order in a writ petition filed by a HITM mechanical engineering fourth-year student, Shaikh Masroof. The petitioner questioned an order of the institute to detain him due to shortage of attendance. Justice Sudheer observed that the records would prima facie reveal that the student had 75% attendance and therefore should be permitted to take the examination. The judge made it clear that this was an interim order and subject to further consideration of the matter.

 

Notice to CS on RTI Act

 

Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy of Telangana High Court ordered notice to the registry of the High Court and to the chief secretary in writ petitions for implementation of the Right to Information Act. The judge heard two writ petitions filed by T. Dhana Gopal, who pointed out that on March 20, the apex court had directed all High Courts and state governments to make effective and operative websites under the RTI Act. Gopal complained that his applications to the authorities for implementation of the said order were ineffective. He further contended that the High Court and the state government were bound by the said direction. Though the three-month cap was over, the implementation was not affected, he complained.