Delhi High Court fines DTC over 32-year wage dispute

The Delhi High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) for its involvement in a 32-year-old legal dispute with a bus conductor. Justice Amit Mahajan described the prolonged litigation as an “abuse of the process of law,” noting that the corporation had used public funds to pursue a dispute involving a relatively small claim.

The dispute originated in 1994 when a conductor was accused of collecting Rs 67 from passengers without issuing tickets. Although the conductor was eventually ordered to be reinstated in 1998, the DTC refused to pay his back wages and reduced his pay scale. The court upheld a 2004 Industrial Tribunal order that had ruled in favor of the conductor.

The Rs 1 lakh fine will be distributed as follows: Rs 25,000 to the Delhi High Legal Services Committee, Rs 50,000 to the PM Relief Fund, and Rs 25,000 to the conductor. The court further stated that the corporation could recover these costs from the specific officer responsible for continuing the case.