Karnataka HC reinstates constable suspended for 10-minute nap, emphasizes work-life balance: Report

The Karnataka High Court has overturned the suspension of a transport constable who was penalized for taking a brief nap at work after being made to work double shifts for two months straight.

According to a Times of India report, Justice M Nagaprasanna ruled that the suspension order issued by the Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC) was unjust, as the constable, Chandrashekar, had been working 16-hour shifts daily for 60 consecutive days without a break.

A video of him dozing off had gone viral, leading to disciplinary action.

The court emphasized that sleep and rest are fundamental rights, recognized under the Constitution and international labor laws. "If an employee is forced to work beyond legally permitted hours, exhaustion is inevitable. Penalizing the petitioner for a brief nap under such extreme conditions is unfair," Justice Nagaprasanna noted as per the publication.

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Chandrashekar, who has been serving as a Karnataka State Transport constable in Koppal since 2016, was suspended on July 1, 2024, following a vigilance report that cited him for sleeping during duty hours. Defending his case, he argued that prolonged work hours had left him sleep-deprived.

The KKRTC contended that the viral video of him sleeping had tarnished its reputation. However, the court rejected this argument, stating that the responsibility lay with the management for imposing excessive work hours. It reaffirmed that labor laws mandate an eight-hour workday and a 48-hour workweek, barring exceptional cases.

"Covenants in International Labour Organization, of which India is a part, recognise the work-life balance. The hours of work should not exceed 48 hours a week and 8 hours a day, except in exceptional circumstances, the judge said according to TOI.

Calling the suspension “unjust and lacking good faith,” the court reinstated Chandrashekar and granted him all associated benefits, including back pay and continuity of service.

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