The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday directed the State government and Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Ltd. (KPTCL) to regularise with effect from December 29, 2010 the services of around 400 persons with locomotive disabilities, who were appointed on contract basis to posts of revenue assistants and assistants by KPTCL during 2007.
Justice L. Narayana Swamy passed the order while allowing a petition filed by Mallikarjun and others, who had sought regularisation of their services on the lines in which persons with disabilities were regularised in the posts of junior engineers as per KPTCL Board’s resolution of 2010.
The process of recruiting physically challenged graduates and non-graduates were initiated following their representation to the Chief Minister during Janata Darshan in 2007. Later, the Energy Department identified various posts in KPTCL and Electricity Supply Companies (Escoms) that are suitable for persons with locomotive disabilities as per provisions of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.
Finally, the notification was issued inviting application for vacant posts of assistants (for non-graduates) and revenue assistants (for graduates) on contract basis with a provision for extension of service and were allotted to various Escoms.
All the petitioners were selected to the posts in the selection process held as per the law but their services were not regularised despite the Board’s resolution in 2010 for regularising their service along with the services of persons appointed to the posts of junior engineers.
Meanwhile, KPTCL in 2016 issued notification for employment to the posts of assistants reserved for persons with disabilities without considering the petitioners for regularising their services and this action of KPTCL was challenged by the petitioners in court, which on Wednesday accepted their plea for regularisation.