CAT issues notice to AIR after casual RJs challenge vacancy notification. Senior advocate Salman Khurshid cites long-term service and pending SC case.
New Delhi: Today, on June 11, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has issued a notice to All India Radio (AIR) and other concerned parties after a petition was filed by an association representing casual radio jockeys (RJs) challenging AIR’s notification regarding the appointment of casual announcers.
This legal step was taken after the All India Radio Broadcasting Professionals Association, which includes around 20 casual RJs and announcers, approached the tribunal.
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The association argued that they have been working with AIR for a long time and deserve fair treatment in the recruitment process for casual announcers.
Senior advocate Salman Khurshid appeared for the association and presented their case before the tribunal.
He highlighted that the members of the association had been serving AIR faithfully for many years and now found themselves at risk of being sidelined in the appointment process.
Khurshid told the tribunal that “a long time” had passed since these casual announcers had been engaged with the broadcaster.
He also pointed out that a case related to the regularisation of “similarly situated persons” is already pending before the Supreme Court.
In this context, he said the issue raised by the association before CAT was closely linked to the ongoing matter in the apex court.
The judicial member of the tribunal, Manish Garg, took note of these submissions and acknowledged that the issue involves important legal questions concerning the rights of casual employees.
The tribunal was also informed that the association had filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking permission to be added as a party in the ongoing matter.
The tribunal order recorded that the association had
“filed an application for impleading themselves in the matter before the apex court.”
The tribunal has now asked All India Radio and other respondents to respond to the plea filed by the association. The outcome of this case could have a significant impact on the future employment rights of casual RJs and announcers across the country.
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