On HC order, state govt forms panel to hear 28 MSRTC unions

In a significant order issued by the Bombay high court on Monday, the state government has been directed to set up a committee comprising senior bureaucrats from finance, transport and an MSRTC managing director as coordinator to hear representatives of 28 unions that are staging a protest, demanding “merger of MSRTC with the government”.

- Somit Sen & George Mendonca

Mumbai:

By late Monday afternoon, the state issued a Government Resolution (GR) notifying the formation of the panel as per court directives. The court order came at a time when 226 bus depots were totally shut on the 12th day of protest by MSRTC drivers and conductors across Maharashtra on Monday, inconveniencing lakhs of commuters.

A division bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and S P Tavade has asked the panel to “submit decisions/recommendations to chief minister Uddhav Thackeray — who in turn will consider the recommendations and submit the same to the court with his views/ opinion on the said recommendations.” The entire exercise has to be completed within 12 weeks.