Family of DTC conductor, who was fired over 15-day leave, wins 30-year-old legal battle

After losing his job in 1994, the conductor had moved labour court which ordered DTC to re-employ him. The DTC however, moved single bench of Delhi High Court against the verdict. When the single bench upheld the labour court's order, DTC filed a petition in division bench of high court, which on Tuesday ordered DTC to pay outstanding salaries and dues of 31 years. Meanwhile, the conductor died in 2007 but his family took ahead the legal battle.

New Delhi:The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to pay 31 years' outstanding salaries and other dues to the family of a conductor who lost his job for taking 15-day leave. The conductor passed away in 2007.

In 1992, DTC fired the conductor for taking 15 days leave. The transport department alleged that he remained on leave without any notice from March 31, 1991 to April 14, 1991. The conductor died in 2007 but his widow and children took the legal battle forward. Nearly 16 years after his death, the court has given its verdict in favour of the conductor's family.

The bench of the then Chief Justice of Delhi High Court Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Sanjeev Narula had stated that the conductor fought for his rights for a long time. He is no longer alive, but the documents prove that he was right in his place and was wrongly fired from his job for taking only 15 days of leave, the court stated. Also, the bench had upheld the Labour Court's verdict in 2003. It said that DTC should pay the outstanding salaries and other dues to the conductor's widow and children.

The high court bench observed that on May 31, 2003, the Labour Court had given a clean chit to the conductor and directed DTC to re-employ him, pay all his outstanding dues and allowances while continuing his employment. This order was challenged by DTC in the single judge bench of Delhi High Court. In 2007, the bench upheld the order of the Labour Court and ordered to re-employ him.

Challenging this order, DTC moved the Division Bench of the High Court that has now ordered in favor of the conductor and asked DTC to pay all the outstanding salaries and other allowances for the last 31 years.