In a judgment of far reaching consequence, the Supreme Court held on Thursday that government employees cannot be transferred to the private sector in the event of sale of state-owned companies.

Such transfers could be done only with the consent of the employees, a Bench comprising Justice Tarun Chatterjee and P Sathasivam said on a petition from BALCO Captive Power Plant Mazdoor Sangh.

The petition sought to restrain NTPC from transferring them to Sterlite group after the sale of BALCO in 2002.