KSRTC 'Bottle' Row: Driver Moves Kerala High Court Challenging 'Arbitrary' Transfer Order

Jaimon Joseph, the driver of the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) who came to limelight following 'bottle' row, has moved the High Court challenging his transfer from Ponkunnam (Kottayam) to Pudukkad (Thrissur).The controversy arose on October 1, when the State Transport Minister, K.B. Ganesh, called up the media and stopped the fast passenger bus at Ayoor on its route from Mundakayam to Thiruvananthapuram and found the bus in an unclean condition with empty water bottles piled up inside the cabin.According to the petitioner, he was transferred vide memorandum issued by the Executive Officer on instructions of the Chairman, KSRTC, based only on the allegation made by the Minister, calling it unjust and violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.He claims that after joining KSRTC in 2016, he has completed more than 9 years of service without any instance of misbehaviour or disciplinary action.In his plea, it is stated that he was carrying two bottles of water to drink during his long trip of more than 210 km, which was not supposed to be interrupted in between. He has stated that one bottle is insufficient due to the hot weather and heat emanating from the engine.The plea also makes a case that since there is no storage facility within the chamber of the driver, he had no choice but to place them near to the front glass of the bus, which is also a usual practice.“This is not at all an offence and it is a requisite for the proper discharge of the duties. However, this is not liked by the Minister and he summoned the media people and obstructed the vehicle at the centre of the public road and abused the petitioner as if the petitioner has done some culpable action,” states the plea.When the matter came up for consideration before Justice N. Nagaresh on Tuesday (October 14), the respondents sought 5 days' time to file statement. Accordingly, time was granted and the case is posted after one week.The petition is moved by Advocates P. Mohandas (Ernakulam), K. Sudhinkumar, Sabu Pullan, R. Bhaskara Krishnan, Bharath Mohan and Senior Advocate K.P. Satheesan.Case No: WP(C) 37736/2025Case Title: Jaimon Joseph v. Kerala State Road Transport Corporation and Ors.

KSRTC 'Bottle' Row: Driver Moves Kerala High Court Challenging 'Arbitrary' Transfer Order

K. Salma Jennath

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