HC pulls up TANGEDCO for seeking adjournments

Pulling up Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited for seeking adjournment on one reason or other in a case relating to conferring permanent status on daily workers, the Madras High Court today imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on it while granting adjournment.
Posting further hearing to July 11, Justice M Sathyanarayanan said the cost shall be paid by TANGEDCO to its workmen, cited as respondents in the case, on or before July 9.
On a dispute raised by one K Palanimalai and 81 daily workers, the Labour Inspector had passed an order in 2007 conferring permanent status on them. As it was not complied with, they moved the High Court which had in February 2011 directed TANGEDCO to comply with the order in 12 weeks. Since this too was not done, they filed contempt applications.

TANGEDCO challenged the 2007 order and Justice K Chandru had on March 27, 2012 dismissed the petition. The appeal preferred by it was also dismissed.
The Special Leave Petition filed by TANGEDCO was also dismissed by the Supreme Court which however said it would not preclude the petitioner from applying for review.
Hence TANGEDCO filed the present review applications.

When the case came up for hearing, TANGEDCO counsel sought further time. However, the counsel for workmen opposed it, pointing out that though the orders, which are the subject matter of contempt, were passed in February 2011, they were yet to be implemented and the applicants were adopting dilatory tactics.

Justice Sathyanarayanan said though the contempt petitions were entertained on Aug 19, 2011, TANGEDCO had thought it fit to challenge the orders conferring permanent status belatedly by filing petitions which were dismissed by a common order. The appeals against the order had also been dismissed, he noted.
The judge said conduct of the review applicants disclosed they were seeking adjournment on one reason or the other, which, on the face of it, is found to be unreasonable.
As TANGEDCO counsel had prayed for one more adjournment to enable him to move miscellaneous petitions in the applications to review the orders passed, all these cases are adjourned to July 11, the judge added.