Case Note & Summary
A batch of writ petitions was filed under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India by workmen of the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) and the North East Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NEKRTC). The petitioners, holding posts such as Traffic Inspector, Conductor, Driver, Account Supervisor, Controller, and Labour Welfare Officer, challenged various stages of disciplinary proceedings. Some petitions sought the quashing of departmental charge sheets and the appointment of enquiry officers, alleging procedural illegality. Others impugned punishment orders of dismissal or lesser penalties, while another set of petitions assailed the awards of the Labour Court, Gulbarga and Kalaburagi, and the Industrial Tribunal, Hubballi, which upheld the disciplinary actions. The petitioners generally sought reinstatement with full back wages, continuity of service, and all consequential benefits. The matters were consolidated and listed for preliminary hearing before Justice Suraj Govindaraj at the Kalaburagi Bench on 13 July 2023. The judgment text provided only the introductory order listing the reliefs prayed for; the substantive reasoning and final decision of the court were not included. Consequently, the legal merits of the challenges remain undetermined from the available text.
Issue of Consideration
Challenges to departmental charge sheets, enquiry officer appointments, punishment orders, and labour court/industrial tribunal awards in disciplinary actions against workmen
