Government Averse To Panel To Mediate In RTC Strike

The Telangana government on Wednesday expressed its inability to accede to the proposal of the High Court to constitute a high-power committee comprising three former judges of the Supreme Court to resolve the TSRTC strike.

The government also urged the court to refer the matter to the Labour Commissioner saying that he was the appropriate authority for taking further steps in the matter as provided under Section 10 of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947.

In response to the pleadings of the State government at today's hearing on the batch of Public Interest Litigations filed on the issue, the senior counsel for the trade unions told the court that the HC had powers to constitute a committee. He also told the HC that he would place case laws on the issue on whether the government's consent was required or not for constituting a committee.

Following this, the court posted the matter to November 18. The stay on the privatization of RTC routes would continue, the court said.

Meanwhile, the strike reached its 40th day today.