Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition UDF staged a walk out in the Kerala Assembly Monday after heated exchanges with the ruling LDF over mass termination of 3,861 empanelled (temporary) bus conductors from state-owned KSRTC following a court order. The UDF members alleged that the CPI(M)-led LDF government had not objected in the high court to the removal of the temporary conductors of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and had violated all employment laws while terminating their services.
These employees had toiled for the cash-strapped KSRTC for years on meagre daily wage of Rs 480, they said seeking to move an adjournment motion over the issue.
Earlier, rejecting the UDF allegations, state Transport Minister A K Saseendran, however, said the government was forced to sack the empanelled conductors following a high court order. The court had passed the directive while considering the plea of the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC)-selected candidates waiting for appointment in the KSRTC. Though the KSRTC management had approached the court seeking more time to implement the verdict, the plea was rejected, the minister said.
"The government had no other option but to implement the verdict at that time. But, we are still working on ways to resolve the issue and a four-member committee has been formed for the purpose," Saseendran said. The minister asked why the UDF had not made appointments from the list of PSC rank holders when it was in power.
Acting on a December 6 directive of the court, the KSRTC had recently removed 3,861 empanelled conductors from service. The court had given the order on a petition which contended that the temporary employees were blocking recruitment of conductors in the PSC rank list.