Employees of Chandrapur power plant move HC demanding regularisation of service

Nagpur, Nov 26 The Bombay High Court has issued notices to the Maharashtra government and Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS) on a writ petition filed by Project-Affected Persons (PAPs) seeking regularisation of their service.

As many as 85 PAPs working at CSTPS have filed the petition to challenge a "long-standing practice" of employing PAPs as trainees for several years without granting them regular employment benefits.

This was in violation of a Government Resolution (GR) of January 21, 1980, the Maharashtra Project Affected Persons Rehabilitation Act, 1999, and administrative circulars of the state power generation and distribution companies, said the plea filed through advocate Ashish Fule.

It also challenged a recruitment advertisement dated December 26, 2024, alleging that the CSTPS failed to reserve mandatory five percent posts under a quota for PAPs.

The petitioners sought directions to the company and state government for regularization of their service and grant of related benefits.

A division bench of Justices Anil Kilor and Rajnish Vyas at Nagpur on November 21 sought replies from the respondents. The next hearing is yet to be scheduled.