New Delhi, Sept 24: Closing doors for reconsideration of one of its most debated judgements, the Supreme Court today refused permission to a Kerala NGO for filing a petition seeking review of its landmark verdict holding that government employees had no right to go on strike. A bench comprising Justice M B Shah and Justice A R Lakshmanan, in a chamber proceeding, refused permission and dismissed a petition filed by Kerala NGO Association seeking review of its august six order passed in the matter pertaining to the Tamil Nadu government employees going on strike. In a judgement of far-reaching implications, the Supreme Court on August six had ruled that government employees have no "fundamental, legal, moral or equitable right" to go on strike and hold the society to ransom. On the question of whether the right to strike was fundamental, statutory or equitable/moral right, a bench comprising justice shah and Justice Lakshmanan had said "in our view, no such right exists with the government employees."

This ruling was given by the court while disposing of petitions pertaining to dismissal of nearly two lakh employees by Tamil Nadu government for going on strike from July two.
Bureau Report