CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has expressed intrigue over repeated cases of theft of electronic ticket vending machines and printed tickets used in government run transport corporations. The question was raised while dealing with a case relating to recovery proceedings initiated against a bus conductor for loss of tickets and vending machine.
“As a matter of fact, it is very intriguing that there are repeated cases of theft of these electronic ticket vending machines and printed tickets. It does not appeal to the reason as to why would any person steal these things,” Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy said.
The matter pertains to a petition filed by S Vinayagam who was employed with TNSTC, Villupuram division, as a conductor. Advocate S Senthilnathan, representing the petitioner, submitted that the court has already held that under section 12(3) of the Industrial Disputes Act, recovery for loss of tickets and instruments should not be made from the employee, and hence the show cause notice is illegal.
The judge held that as per section 12(3), not the value of the tickets, but, the actual cost of printing the tickets and the value of the machine can be recovered from the petitioner in the case of negligent conduct.