All India Radio Casual Announcer And Comperes Union & ANR. v. Union Of India & ORS.

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* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Decided on: 9th December, 2020 + ALL INDIA RADIO CASUAL ANNOUNCER AND COMPERES UNION & ANR.

..... Petitioners Through:

Mr.Akash Vashishtha, Adv. with Mr.Munish Choker, Adv.

Versus

UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

..... Respondents Through:

Ms.Monika Arora, CGSC

CORAM:

HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN

JUDGMENT

:

D.N.PATEL, Chief Justice (Oral) Proceedings in the matter have been conducted through video conferencing.

C.M.No.29757/2020 (exemptions) Allowed, subject to all just exceptions.

The application is disposed of.

W.P.(C) No.9225/2020 1.

This public interest litigation is preferred with the following prayers:- "A. Directing the Respondents to resume all channels/

stations/services/units of AIR mentioned in Para 38 of the present petition and those closed/stopped/discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown, with immediate effect.

B.

Directing the Respondents to restart the Regional Academies of Broadcasting & Multimedia situated at Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Shillong and Thiruvananthapuram.

C.

Quashing the Order of Respondent No.2, dated 03.01.2019.

D.

Directing the Respondents to compensate all the contractual casual Announcers/ Radio Jockeys/ Presenters/ Comperes serving in AIR's stations/channels mentioned in Para 38 of this petition, and those closed in the past six months, for the loss of work and wages they suffered since the closure of their channels/stations/services/units.

E.

Any other writ, order or direction, which this Hon'ble Court pleases be passed in favour of the Petitioners." 2.

Learned counsel for the petitioner submitted that several representations have been preferred by the petitioners before the concerned respondent authorities (Annexure P-7 to the memo of this writ petition) and these representations have not been decided by the respondent authorities. 3.

It is, therefore, submitted by learned counsel for the petitioner that it will suffice for the disposal of the writ petition, if the same is directed to be treated as a representation by the concerned respondent authorities.

4.

We accordingly direct the concerned respondent authorities to treat this writ petition as a representation and decide the same in accordance with law, rules, regulations and Government policies applicable to the facts of the case, as expeditiously as possible and practicable. 5.

With these observations, the writ petition is disposed of. CHIEF JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN, J DECEMBER 09, 2020 'anb'