Court staff strike enters second day

Bhopal, Jan 3 (UNI) Work in district and subordinate courts across Madhya Pradesh remained crippled for the second day today, even as the High Court referred to the State Government the demand of the agitating class three and four employees regarding raising the working hours by half an hour and curtailing holidays.

The employees were demanding 50 per cent hike in basic pay in lieu of extra duty hours and reducing holidays.

At Jabalpur, High Court Registrar General K C Sharma said a decision to curtail holidays and increase working hours was taken on the directive of the Supreme Court with the aim to reduce pendency of cases in accordance with the recommendations of the Shetty Commission.

The Commission had recommended 36 hours work in a week and 12 public holidays in a year and holidays on second Saturday only. It also suggested to reduce summer and winter holidays by 15 days.

The High Court also wrote to the state government to keep courts out of the purview of emergency holidays and holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act.

UNI