Post orders to PSC candidates to replace empanelled conductors: HC to KSRTC

The Kerala High Court Tuesday directed the State Road Transport Corporation to post orders to candidates from the Public Service Commission rank list within two days to replace empanelled conductors, whose services were terminated.

Acting on a directive from the Court, the KSRTC had removed 3,861 empanelled conductors from service on Monday.

When the Advocate General Tuesday sought more time to implement the Court order, the Bench, comprising Justices V Chitambaresh and K P Narayana Pisharody, observed that they have lost confidence in the KSRTC.

The Advocate General informed the Court that "advicees require training to perform their duties as conductors".

To this, the bench replied that no such training was required to distribute tickets to passengers.

The Court posted the case to December 20 for reporting compliance.

The order to remove the empanelled conductors from service was issued by the court Sunday to comply with its December 6 direction on a petition by Antony Stejo and others, who alleged that they were blocking recruitment of conductors in the PSC rank list to the post of reserve conductors.

The court had held that the vacant posts should be filled from the rank list of the PSC.

The High Court Monday had asked Thachankary to file a compliance report on the termination of the 3,861 empanelled employees after turning down the corporation's plea for two months time to comply with the direction.

The Division Bench had declined KSRTC'S plea and directed the corporation to report its compliance by Tuesday.

Those who had completed 10 years of service and put in a minimum of 120 days of service each year were liable to be retained, the court had said.