The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) will appeal to the Supreme Court against a directive of the Kerala High Court to dispense with the services of 1,565 empanelled drivers by April 30.
The government nod to the KSRTC to move the Supreme Court was taken on Wednesday at a meeting attended by Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran, Principal Secretary, Transport, and KSRTC Chairman K.R. Jyothilal, Managing Director, KSRTC, M.P. Dinesh, and officials.
The Advocate General will be consulted by the KSRTC prior to moving the Supreme Court. The High Court on April 8 directed that the empanelled drivers cannot continue beyond 180 days and the vacancies existing beyond that period should be filled from the rank list of the Kerala Public Service Commission.
The meeting, at the office of the Transport Minister in the Secretariat, discussed the way forward to overcome the situation arising out of the High Court judgment on the petition filed by PSC rank holders, led by T.S. Santosh of Alappuzha.
The KSRTC’s strategy, it is learnt, is to project the grave financial crisis facing the corporation, absence of a PSC rank list for immediate appointment of drivers, and the inability to operate 500-odd schedules if the 1,565 empanelled drivers are ousted.
