Date:30/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/30/stories/2008103050210100.htm

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Call off Jacto strike, says High Court

Legal Correspondent

Hopes all the parties would strive for a settlement

Writ petition complains that the strike is unconstitutional
Call to set up high-level panel to look into teachers’ demands

- PHOTO: CH. VIJAYA BHASKAR

TOUGH STAND: Jacto activists perform a ‘Seersasanam’ as a symbolic protest in Vijayawada on Wednesday.

HYDERABAD: A Division Bench of the High Court, comprising Chief Justice A. R. Dave and Justice R. Subhash Reddy, on Wednesday asked senior counsel Bojja Tarakam, who appeared for the Joint Action Committee of Teachers Organisations (Jacto), to see that the strike was called off in view of the future of children.

Negotiations

The Bench indicated that the strike be called off to pave way for negotiations, expressing hope that all the parties would strive for a settlement.

It may be recalled that a writ petition was filed by N. Raju, practising advocate, complaining that the strike was unconstitutional and against public interest. He sought a direction to the government to constitute a high-level committee to look into the demands of the teachers. He pleaded with the court to declare the strike as illegal and unconstitutional and against the judgments of the Supreme Court.

Mr. Tarakam told the Bench that the government was refusing to consider the demands. The Bench adjourned the case to Friday, hoping that the situation would change by then.