A city court has ordered 80 primary school teachers to rejoin Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools.

The ZP had earlier relieved a group of 150 teachers so that they may join the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) schools.

These teachers worked in villages located in the fringe areas which were earlier under the zilla parishad. After they were merged with the Pune Municipal Corporation, they expressed a desire to join PMC–run schools. The order to send the group of 80 back to ZP schools was passed by civil judge (senior division) GK Rathod on February 13.

Defence counsel KR Shah, who represented the teachers, however said that an appeal before the sessions court will be made challenging the civil judge's order.

Mangal Mahangare and other teachers had filed an application in February seeking an interim injunction in the case. The teachers, in the application filed before the court had stated that 150 of them were discharged from the ZP.

The teachers had asked the court to use its extraordinary powers to grant an injunction in their favour and ask the PMC to absorb them as teachers in the municipal corporation schools.

While asking the teachers to rejoin the ZP schools, the court said that they shall be sought from the ZP as per the demand of the civic body, as and when there is a requirement.

While 27 teachers retired from service, the PMC absorbed 43 others. The remaining 80 teachers were told by the PMC that no vacant posts were available for them.

The ZP, in its submission before the court, said it had agreed on January 12, 2008 to absorb all the 80 teachers into its services, the day they were discharged from duty.

The ZP had also sent the joining orders and directed them to join service without delay.

Prashant Aher/ DNA-Daily News & Analysis Source: 3D Syndication