Reiterating that it had no power to direct the State government to hold negotiations with the striking TSRTC employees, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday mooted a proposal to constitute a high-powered committee comprising three former Supreme Court judges to resolve the crisis. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy put forward the proposal, seeking response of the State government.
Advocate General B.S. Prasad told the court that he would get instructions from the government and inform its decision on Wednesday when the bench resumes hearing on the matter.
The bench also directed the AG to get necessary instructions from the TSRTC management as well on the proposal, as Additional Advocate General J. Ramchander Rao, who earlier argued on behalf of the corporation in different pleas, said AG would appear for both the State and the corporation. Interestingly, senior counsel D. Prakash Reddy, representing the striking RTC employee unions, told the court that the workers too would reconsider continuation of the strike if the high-powered committee hears the matter. “Employee unions would reconsider their decision to continue the strike if the committee hears them,” Mr. Prakash Reddy said.
The proposal came out of nowhere as the arguments on a batch of PILs and writ pleas on different aspects of the RTC strike were in progress in the First Court hall. Counsels Shashi Kiran, Rangaiah and Rapolu Bhaskar arguing for different petitioners, requested the court to declare the strike illegal or instruct the State to hold negotiations with the employees. The bench repeatedly clarified that it was not empowered to do so.
“No HC is above law,” the CJ said. When lawyer Rapolu Bhaskar said the experts committee of top officials could not make any progress, the AG said the workers went on strike from October 5 and petitions were filed in the HC in the next two days. At this stage, Justice Abhishek Reddy sought to know why the government could not constitute an “independent committee” without officials or with neutral persons.
“Anyway, our voice did not carry weight. As a last resort, we ask the government to consider this. Voice of three former SC judges with eminence and commanding respect may carry weight...” the bench said. Both the striking workers and the government should appear before the committee and attempt for reconciliation of their demands and stands, the bench said.
The bench requested the government to seriously consider the constitution of the high-powered committee.
