Mumbai University restrained from scrapping services of temporary staff

Mumbai: In a major relief to hundreds of temporary non-teaching employees of Mumbai University, the Bombay high court has restrained the university from terminating their services, and directed it to pay all their pending dues.

The HC has upheld part order of the industrial court that the university did not follow due process of law while terminating its temporary staff. The court also said in its order that the university is not an industrial establishment. The court was hearing a petition filed by hundreds of temporary employees of the university who challenged their termination in the HC.

The varsity also argued before the high court that the employees had been hired on a temporary basis and they were well aware of this fact at the time of their appointment. The petitioners fil-ed the plea before the industrial court on behalf of 938 employees in 2014. They claimed that they had been working for the university for several years and hence, must be regularised. The plea said they had completed duty for 240 days in 12 months, as required by the university rules for one to seek regularisation of one's post. However, the university refused to regularise their posts and instead, began terminating their services without following due procedure, they claimed. Justice Menon held that the petitioners deserved relief and that the university had violated the provisions of the MRTU and PULP Act.