CHENNAI: The State Express Transport Corporations have been directed by the Madras High Court to consider pleas from drivers and conductors, who have put in service ranging from five to eight years, for regularisation from the date they are entitled to. Justice D Krishnakumar gave a directive to this effect, while disposing of a batch of writ petitions from K Rajasekar and 44 others, on January 30.
According to advocate RY George Williams, even though the petitioners had completed 240 days of continuous work, they were not made permanent within the stipulate period. The workers had put in service ranging from five to eight years. But their services were regularised belatedly beyond their completing continuous work for 240 days.
When the matter came up on January 30, the corporations counsel told the judge the petitioners being members of the trade unions, which had entered into the 12(3) settlement, their pleas cannot be considered. Then Williams told the judge that it would suffice if the court directs the corporations to consider their representations.
Proceedings against two dailies set aside
Chennai: The Madras High Court has set aside criminal proceedings pending against newsmen of an English and a Tamil daily for alleged defamatory statements against former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in 2014. Justice M Dhandapani quashed the proceedings while allowing three writ petitions, on February 4. The petitions challenged the GOs of the Public (Law & Order-H) department issued in 2014 and the subsequent complaints on the file of the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Chennai. The charge was that they had published on September 4, 2014 a statement issued by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy against Jayalalithaa in connection with release of TN fishermen by Sri Lankan authorities.