MADURAI: Observing that it should be the endeavour of the government to settle the genuine demands of employees by taking into account the Seventh Pay Commission, the High Court Bench in Madurai has directed the Chief Secretary to appear before the court on September 21 to ascertain the views of the government for resolving the issue.
Hearing a contempt petition following the continuous protest of government employees despite court ban on strike, the court made it clear to senior counsel N G R Prasad that there was no question of entertaining the request to direct the government to consider the issues raised by the employees unions unless the strike was withdrawn unconditionally. Thereafter, the union functionaries agreed to suspend the strike, with a request to initiate steps for settlement.
Following this, the judges directed the Chief Secretary to appear before them on September 21. However, the judges made it clear that summoning the Chief Secretary to the court was to ascertain the government’s views to resolve the issue.
The Bench also directed the Chief Secretary to take up the issue with the government and submit its views before the court on September 21.