Madras HC rejects plea seeking permission for sit-in protest by Tangedco contract workers

The Madras High Court on Thursday dismissed a writ petition filed by an association of contract labourers in the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation seeking a direction to the Director General of Police to consider a plea for granting permission for a sit-in protest at every district head office, demanding the regularisation of temporary workers. Muhilan represented the DGP could not grant an omnibus permission for protests across the State and the association would have to necessarily approach the local police in every district since the latter would have to assess the ground situation before granting permission. In his affidavit, the association secretary C. Balachandar said, Tangedco was functioning with nearly 70% of its manpower being temporary employees, hired on contract basis through private agencies, though it was one of the prime essential services provider to the public at large. Though these frontline workers offer their services without any fixed working hours and ensure seamless distribution of power even during rains and floods, their long-pending demand to regularise their services remains unfulfilled, the deponent complained.