KARACHI: Sindh High Court (SHC) has suspended the notifications to close down the several units of Jamshoro Power Company Limited (GENCO-I) and declaring its employees surplus.
A written order of SHC, released on Friday suspended the notifications while hearing the petitions, which challenged the closure of several units of GENCO-I and declaring the employees surplus.
Order stated that decision to close down the GENCO-I units was taken by Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) in its meeting on September 21, 2020.
Counsel for the petitioners submitted that the step to close down the units without any approval from federal cabinet orders have been issued to declare the employees surplus.
Counsel stated that Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of Federal Government went ahead with the decision to close down the power generations plants of GENCO-I.
He stated that around 554 employees of GENCO-I were declared surplus and directed to be adjusted in various DISCOs.
Counsel contended the notifications were issued without any lawful authority as they were solely based on the decision of ECC, which does not have any lawful authority to direct closure of economically viable and beneficial generations units.
Counsel argued that petitions have been filed to challenge the notifications on the ground that these are malafide and unlawful.
Counsel prayed the court to set aside the notifications, being contrary to national interest and detrimental to public at large because these are in violation of Articles 4, 18, 24 and 25 of the constitution.
Counsel argued that declaring the huge number of employees of GENCO-I surplus and their adjustment in DISCOs would cause disaster in their efficiency and the GENCOs, as the government would lose technical workforce especially in GENCOs. Counsel also contended that decision of closure of the plants operated by GENCO-I was taken in undue haste and it would negatively affect the lifespan of the plants and would render them non-revivable within a period of few years due to non-usage. Bench considering the arguments of the petitioners ordered to issue notices to respondents and Deputy Attorney General for June 04, 2021 and suspended the notifications till the next date of hearing of the case.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed.