Pb: Dispose of institute’s property in order to pay salaries, orders HC

Chandigarh: Coming down heavily on a private engineering college of Punjab for not paying salaries since 2019, Punjab and Haryana High Court while specifically stating that ‘it is left with no choice’ directed the Principal Secretary, Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab to dispose of the property of the institute in order to pay the amount to the petitioners within a period of one month from today, positively.

Taking strong note of the non-payment of salary by Baba Hira Singh Bhattal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Lehragaga, Sangrur, the orders were pronounced on a civil writ petition filed by Ajit Singh and others by Justice Anil Kshetarpal on Tuesday.

While pronouncing the orders the court said: “Keeping in view the facts, this Court is left with no choice but to direct the Principal Secretary, Department of Technical Education and Industrial Training, Punjab, who is a member of the Board of Governors of the Institute to dispose of the property of the Institute in order to pay the amount to the petitioners within a period of one month from today, positively.”

The court also passed an interim order restraining the Institute from disposing of its property before settling the preferential claim of the petitioners, who are employees and shall continue to operate till the claim of the petitioners is settled.