CAT issues notice to AIR over plea by casual RJs on announcer hiring

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has issued notice to All India Radio and others on a plea filed by the association of casual radio jockeys (RJs) against the public sector radio broadcaster's notification on appointment of casual announcers.

Judicial Member Manish Garg noted the submissions of senior advocate Salman Khurshid that the All India Radio Broadcasting Professionals Association, comprising around 20 casual announcers or RJs, were working for "a long time", and that the matter on the regularisation of "similarly situated persons" was pending in the Supreme Court.

The tribunal noted that the association had also filed an application for impleading themselves in the matter before the apex court.

In an order dated June 10, CAT said the April 4 notification would be "subject to the outcome of the present original application".

"Issue notice to the respondents. Let the reply be filed within four weeks," the tribunal said.

The respondents are All India Radio or Akashvani, the Centre and Prasar Bharti Broadcasting Corporation of India.

During the proceedings, the counsel for the respondents argued that the plea was "premature" as the vacancy notification was under further consideration and no prejudice would be caused to the applicants as they belonged to a "distinct class".

Khurshid countered the submission and argued the notification was "adding new casual announcers to the existing ones, thereby further adding to the long list of casual announcers".

The hearing was then posted on July 29.