HC adds, "COVID-19 had harmful impacts on many lives, humans responded in ways they would not have otherwise"

The Bombay High Court observed in its 26-page judgement directing striking Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) workers to resume duty by April 22 that during the testing times of the Covid-19 pandemic, which had "detrimental effects" on many lives, many humans acted in ways they would not have acted if things were normal.

 

MSRTC was also ordered by a division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice MS Karnik not to take any action against employees who report to work on or before April 22 and to reverse any disciplinary action taken. Apart from the other negative effects that the unprecedented pandemic had on our countrymen's lives, the crises that unfolded undoubtedly had an impact on the operations of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and its employees," the HC stated in its detailed order, which was made available on Friday.

 

The HC dismissed MSRTC's contempt petition against the workers on Thursday after issuing several orders, stating that these were "exceptional circumstances" that required "special actions." Since November 2021, MSRTC employees have been on strike, demanding that the company be amalgamated with the state government and that they be paid equally to government employees.

The HC stated that there was no need to determine who was at fault and that the situation required striking a balance between the employees' needs and the public's suffering as a result of the lack of state transport bus services.

 

"We don't need to go into great detail to figure out who was at blame amongst the two (MSRTC and its staff)." "Suffice it to say that during the pandemic's most trying times, humans may not have responded as they would have if circumstances were normal," the edict said.

 

The court remarked that human frailties resulted in disagreements and arguments, which erupted into a situation that tended to spiral out of control. The judges noted that the one-time situation in this case "requires the court to attempt an approach for striking a balance to provide immediate succor to the employees while also ensuring that the activity of providing public transportation services for the benefit of the common man is resumed as soon as possible with full strength," according to the judges.

 

 

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