HC seeks info on Metro workers

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) to furnish details of number of workers, contractors and sub-contractors working for the Metro project.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice S N Satyanarayana sought the details during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Samuel Satyasheelan.

The petitioner had moved the Court claiming that the labourers under the Metro project were working in pathetic condition, and had sought directions to improve their condition.
Assistant Solicitor General, Kalyan Basavaraj stated that action had been initiated against some contractors following the findings of the Union Ministry for Labour.

He said the regional commissioner had suspended licence of some contractors, while some have paid fine. “Despite this, there are instances of violations of labour laws,” he said.

Bail plea dismissed

The High Court has dismissed the bail plea of Shivakumar, one of the accused in the murder case of government auditor S P Mahantesh. Shivakumar was arrested on June 7, 2012, along with three others - Kiran, the prime accused, Ayyappa and Murali.
Mahantesh was set to audit the accounts of Sahakarnagar co-operative society where Kiran worked as a cashier. However, he was attacked by miscreants on May 15,2012, and succumbed to injuries five days later.

Appointments under SSA

The High Court has disposed of a petition seeking to expedite appoint of teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) in remote areas of Karnataka,

after the State government submitted that it will revise the policy.

B S Budihal had moved the court seeking appointment of 5,500 teachers to higher primary schools, under SSA. Counsel for the petitioner, Mohan, submitted that the government planned to appoint 90 teachers in three months and it might take 20 years to complete the whole process at that rate.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice S N Satyanarayana disposed of the petition with a direction to revise the policy within three months.