New Delhi, July 16: DMK MP C Kuppuswamy today filed a special leave petition challenging the Madras High Court's decision refusing to interfere with Tamil Nadu government's dismissal of nearly two lakh of its employees who went on strike. Meanwhile, the petition filed yesterday by Tamil Nadu Transport Employees Federation challenging the July 11 order of the high court was mentioned before a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice V N Khare, which directed its listing in the mentioning list tomorrow.

The union has sought stay of the high court order, which while directing release of the arrested employees, had asked them to approach the state administrative tribunal to challenge their dismissal orders as that was the appropriate forum for service related grievances. The state government had issued an ordinance amending the Tamil Nadu Essential Services Maintenance Act to dismiss the striking employees and had started recruiting new persons to fill the vacant posts.

The DMK MP said the Supreme Court should deal with the matter as the right to livelihood of nearly two lakh employees was in jeopardy.

He has also sought stay of the TN Essential Services Maintenance (Amendment) ordinance and requested the court to allow the dismissed employees to join duty. Bureau Report