Belagavi: Opposition BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) members staged a dharna in the Legislative Council on the issue of extending notional pay fixation to teaching and non-teaching staff of the higher education and primary and secondary education departments.
Replying to Mr S.V. Sankanur of BJP on Friday, Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddi said a single judge bench of Karnataka High Court had in its order on July 10, 2015 quashed the Karnataka Private Educational Institutions Employees (Regulation of pay, pension and other benefits) Act 2014. The act was quashed on the basis of a writ petition filed by a group of teachers. In the meantime, the government moved a division bench of the high court which stayed the single bench judge verdict. The matter is pending before the court. Opposition members flayed the government for going back on its promise of looking into the demands of these employees that may cost the state exchequer around Rs 290 crore. The previous higher education minister, Mr R.V. Deshpande got the Act passed in the Upper House stating that he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for an early solution. Now, the government had backtracked on its promise which is akin to insulting the House, they claimed.
Intervening, Mr Deshpande admitted that he had given a committment to the House and there was no question of going back on it. A meeting would be called soon after the Belagavi winter session to work out the future course of action, he said.
