Karnataka High Court finds no fault with public transport employee sleeping during duty hours

Emphasising the importance of “right to sleep”, and work-life balance of employees, particularly those working in shifts, the High Court of Karnataka has found no fault with a constable of State Transport Corporation sleeping during duty hours as he was compelled to work for double shifts of 24 hours every day for 60 days without break. Chandrashekhar, a constable with the Kalyan Karnataka Road Transport Corporation’s, was suspended on July 1, 2024, after a video, showing him sleeping during duty hours, went viral on social media and personnel messaging platforms. Citing the articles of universal declaration of human rights dealing with “right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours.”, and judgements on this issue by other high courts, Justice Nagaprasanna said that “the petitioner is made to over work by two shifts in 24 hours, for 60 long days without break. Therefore, the action of the KKRTC placing the petitioner under suspension for the folly of the corporation is undoubtedly an action which suffers from want of bonafides.” If the petitioner had slept while on duty, when his duty was restricted to a single shift, it would undoubtedly become “misconduct” but in the present peculiar facts of the case, no fault can be found with the petitioner sleeping during duty hours, the Court made it clear.