The Hindu : National : Telecom officers to approach tribunal

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Friday, Oct 21, 2005

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Telecom officers to approach tribunal

Special Correspondent

Ministry enforcing reversion orders

NEW DELHI : The Communications Ministry has started relieving telecom officers of their posts and privileges in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) after having issued the reversion orders earlier this week.

On the other hand, Group `A' telecom officers have decided to approach the Central Administrative Tribunal against the decision to revert 1,300 officers to their parent cadre, Department of Telecom (DoT), and retain 1,185 others it considers are covered by stay orders of various high courts and administrative tribunals. The officers argue that the stay orders provide blanket coverage to all the officers and not just 1,185 as contended by the Government.

Sources said a large number of senior officers, some in the rank of chief general managers, have been asked to step down and replaced with officers from cadres other than the Indian Telecom Service (ITS) which is in the forefront of the confrontation with the Government.

In MTNL, headed for the first time by a non-ITS officer, two officers in charge of the operations in Mumbai and Delhi were relieved from their posts and their official cars taken away for failing to give the option of absorption or remaining as government servants by the Union Cabinet-mandated deadline of October 10. The officers argue that they are willing to give the options but want the Government to discuss the terms and conditions of their remaining service in the two telecom corporations. The Government feels that the time for negotiations has passed. Officers who did not accept the relieving orders are being intimated at home or by e-mail.

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