Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday stayed the move to regularise 1,850 contractual employees in Kerala Bank. The argument that the posts do not come under Public Service Commission recruitment was not accepted by the court.

Earlier the Kerala Bank had told the court that there was no move to regularise temporary staff. But then the petitioner produced documents to prove otherwise after which the HC intervened and stopped the move.

Kannur native Lijith had filed the petition in which HC had sought explanation from both the Kerala Bank and the state government.

13 district banks were merged to form the Kerala Bank on November 29, 2019. After this, 1,850 people were appointed under daily wages and contracts. The petition was filed against regularising these employees.

The posts include 846 clerks, 482 peons/watchmen, 300 temporary sweepers, 180 data entry operators, 28 plumbers, 10 system analysts, 2 IT managers and 1 each of law officer and computer engineer.

Since 1995, PSC has been conducting appointments to the state cooperative banks. According to Article 162 of Indian Constitution the state has no authority to regularise the appointments, it was said in the petition.

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