SC directs TN to reinstate staff, process to start today

Though the Supreme Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to reinstate 8,063 government employees and teachers who had merely particip...

Though the Supreme Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to reinstate 8,063 government employees and teachers who had merely participated in the strike, the process of reinstatement is likely to begin only tomorrow.

Despite the apex court’s order, the fate of a large section of Secretariat employees still hangs in balance as 505 out of 3,082 employees, against whom FIRs were registered under the ESMA, have been charged for instigating the strike. Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed the government to treat the employees who were arrested and charged for instigating the strike as suspended and recommended disciplinary proceedings against them.

Chief Secretary Lakshmi Pranesh, who convened a meeting of Secretaries this afternoon at the Secretariat, immediately after the court’s directions, asked the officers not to take any hasty step on the reinstatement issue. After getting written orders of the Supreme Court, which is likely to reach the Secretariat tomorrow, the officials will again meet tomorrow to discuss how to go about on the matter. Even the heads of various departments and district collectors have been asked to wait for further instructions.

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Meanwhile the JACTTEO-GEO leaders will hold a meeting tomorrow at 4 p.m. to discuss the Supreme Court’s verdict. Sources in the union said even among the 6,072 employees and teachers who would not be reinstated as per the latest order, majority are employees working in the Secretariat. Of the total 5,116 employees in the Secretariat, 537 were arrested under ESMA.

Section 5 (instigating the strike) has been included in the FIR along with Section 4 (participating in the strike) only on some employees working in five departments of the Secretariat.

They are: Agriculture department — 180 employees; Commercial Taxes — 70; Environment and Forests — 73; Handlooms and Textiles — 66; and Food and Cooperation — 116.

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