The Kerala High Court on Thursday noted that the employees of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, a state transport corporation, were not paid salaries on time even after toiling hard and said that the situation cannot be allowed to continue like this. The Court later posted the matter for hearing on July 20. On Thursday, Justice Devan Ramachandran warned if the salaries of employees were not paid fully by July 12 then KSRTC's Managing Director should be present online to explain why. The court gave the order in a series of pleas moved by KSRTC employees seeking timely payment of their salaries.
The court questioned why KSRTC was pushed into this kind of financial distress even after the employees were working at more than satisfactory levels. The Court observed that the work of the employees was evident from the income of Rs 220 crore generated each month.
The court said: "The net effect is that the employees of the KSRTC are toiling, but they are left without being paid a salary. ...The situation cannot be allowed to continue like this."
On Thursday, the court once again observed that KSRTC was not paying salaries to employees on time. The Court also noted the directions issued by them to transport corporations to pay salary on 5th of at least by 10th of every month.
The court also noted that the issue was pending for more than a year and the various suggestions incorporated in the interim order, "appear to have been, at least prima facie, disregarded by the stakeholders", as per PTI.
The Court said: "This court is now told that, in spite of these directions, the KSRTC has come out with a circular dated February 16, 2023, saying that the employees will be paid whatever is possible on the 5th of every month and the balance as and when the government assists them. I am further told by the counsel appearing for the KSRTC today, that until this month, payments were made in terms of the afore circular."