From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Belagavi

Belagavi, Nov 25: The Opposition BJP and JD(S) members staged a dharna in the State Legislative Council over the issue of extending benefits of pay fixation to teaching and non-teaching staff of higher education department and primary and secondary education department.

Replying to BJP member S V Sankanuron Friday, Karnataka’s Higher Education Minister Basavaraj Rayareddi said the single judge bench of Karnataka High Court had in its order on July 10, 2015 quashed the Karnataka Private Educational Institutions Employees (Regulation of pay, pension and other benefits) Act 2014.

The Act was quashed on the basis of writpetition filed by a group of teachers. In the meantime, the governmentmoved a division bench of high court which had stayed the single benchjudge verdict. The matter was pending before the court, he said.

Taking strong exception to the Government’s statement, the opposition members flayed the State Government for going back from its promise of looking into the demandsof those employees that may cost around Rs 290 crore to stateexchequer.

The previous higher education minister R V Deshpandegot the Act passed in the upper house stating that he would discussthe matter with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for the early solution.

Now, the State Government has backtracked and it amounts to insult to theHouse, they said.

Intervening in the debate, Deshpande admitted that he had given a commitment tothis House and there was no question of going back from it.

A meetingwould be called soon after the Belagavi winter session to work out thefuture course of action.

Later, the members called off their dharna.