The Kerala High Court on Wednesday quashed the government decision to turn down a request of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to enhance the retirement age of its employees to 58.
Justice V. Chitambaresh directed the State government to take a fresh decision after taking into consideration the salient point urged by the KSRTC.
The court, while allowing a batch of petitions filed by KSRTC employees and retired employees seeking to enhance their age of retirement, observed that it was open to the government to confer the benefit of enhancement of the retirement age retrospectively. The Board of Directors of the KSRTC at a meeting on February 23 had decided to re-fix the age of retirement of its employees at 58 years.
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The KSRTC forwarded the decision to the government for its consideration as per the Road Transport Corporation Act. However, the government rejected the plea on April 8, the petitioners said.
The KSRTC submitted that if the age of superannuation was increased from 56 years to 58, the Corporation could save Rs.400 crore.
The State-owned companies did not have uniform retirement age.
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The court observed that the retirement age of government employees was 56 only in the State and Jharkhand. While the retirement age was 58 years in Tamil Nadu, it was 60 in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Besides, the life expectancy in the State was highest when compared to other States.
The court said that it was time for the government to open its eyes especially in view of the request made by the KSRTC. That money could be saved by declaring a retirement holiday of two years in the KSRTC was a vital point. The money so saved could be profitably utilised for the revival of the KSRTC, the court said.
The court observed that there was a total non-application of mind on the part of the government in declining the plea.