State Assures High Court on Regularisation Timeline
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has disposed of an appeal after the state government assured that the Punjab State Bus Corporation (PUNBUS) will decide employees' claims for regularisation of service within four weeks. The assurance was given before a Division Bench comprising Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi and Justice Amarinder Singh Grewal, which was hearing an appeal against a Single Judge's order dated March 7.
Clarification on Single Judge's Order
Additional Advocate-General Jastej Singh, appearing for the appellants-state, clarified that the Single Judge's order had been misinterpreted by PUNBUS as a direct order for regularisation of services. He emphasised that a minute reading of the impugned order reveals the only direction was to consider the regularisation claims of the respondents in accordance with the Punjab Adhoc, Contractual, Daily Wages, Temporary, Work Charged and Outsourced Employees Welfare Act, 2016, and settled principles of law.
Liberty Granted to PUNBUS
Jastej Singh further submitted that since liberty had already been granted to PUNBUS to decide the issue, the corporation would pass an appropriate order on the respondents' regularisation claim within four weeks from Friday. The order so passed would be conveyed to the respondents for their information and necessary action. He requested that the appeal be disposed of as not pressed.
Court Accepts Statement
Accepting the state's statement, the Division Bench observed: "In view of the statement made by counsel for the appellants, the present appeal is disposed of as not pressed." The Bench also disposed of the pending miscellaneous applications. Advocate Inderpreet Singh Sohal appeared for the respondents.
