Plea in Kerala HC challenges GO on future KSEB pay revisions

Kochi: KSEB Pensioners' Koottayma, an association of KSEB pensioners, has filed a petition in high court challenging the govt order that stipulates that future pay revisions shall be implemented only after obtaining prior sanction from the govt.The bench of Justice Viju Abraham issued notice to the state govt and KSEB and adjourned the petition to May 22 for the filing of the board's counter affidavit. The impugned order also stipulates that the effective date of pay revision for board employees should be on par with that of state govt staff.Challenging the GO dated March 12, the petitioner contended that wage revisions and other service conditions of KSEB employees are based on negotiated settlements under the Industrial Disputes Act (now subsumed under the Industrial Relations Code). The petitioner further alleged that the impugned order is unsustainable in law, as such settlements are binding on the parties to the dispute and there is no provision requiring prior govt approval or post-settlement sanction.