In a scathing attack on KSRTC the state-owned road transport corporation of Kerala which is on the verge of collapse, the High Court has said that it is discriminatory for top officials in KSRTC to take salaries without paying ordinary employees.
Saying that they cannot turn a blind eye to the misery of ordinary workers in KSRTC the court said that that the demand of the employees to withhold the salaries of the top officials as long as they were not paid was justified.
The petitioners alleged that the officers and supervisors were being paid regularly and that the loan repayment was the only priority in the revenue of KSRTC. KSRTC’s lawyer explained the liabilities and crises faced by the company.
The court observed that it would not hesitate to stop the practice of paying salaries only to top officials without paying the ordinary employees and that it was the responsibility of KSRTC to pay salaries to the employees on time. The court also directed KSRTC to respond to the petition.
Responding to the statement that the service is being run in the public interest and profit is not the main objective, the court said that if the KSRTC does not make a profit, then the government will have to intervene to make up for the loss.
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