Date:01/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/01/stories/2008100155020500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Truckers withdraw call for strike

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: Transporters in the State have withdrawn their proposed strike from midnight of Tuesday opposing the speed governor rule after the Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon extended the deadline given by the Karnataka High Court to fit the device by a month.

The High Court had directed the State to enforce the rule by September 30.

The president of the Federation of Karnataka State Lorry Owners’ and Agents’ Associations, G.R. Shanmugappa, told The Hindu that in view of the Supreme Court order, the transporters had withdrawn the strike and transport vehicles would be operated as usual. Mr. Shanmugappa said that the State governments and the Centre should take steps towards uniform enforcement of the speed governor rule across the country. The associations would pressure the governments in this regard, he added. State Advocate General Uday Holla, who was in Delhi to represent the State before the Supreme Court, said the court had posted the case to December.

In a press release, B. Channa Reddy, president of the Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners’ Associations, alleged that the Centre and the State did not present the facts properly before the Supreme Court, leading to the indecision of the court.