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Ludhiana: Suspended PSPCL staff back on duty, probe on
The employees had been accused of lapses in handling compensation process for the family of a deceased outsourced worker
After nearly a week-long standoff between the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and its employees’ unions, the corporation has reinstated two staff members who were suspended on August 22. The employees had been accused of lapses in handling compensation process for the family of a deceased outsourced worker.
The suspended employees, Yogesh Kumar (superintendent) and Prabhjot Kaur (assistant accountant), had allegedly failed to comply with directions from their higher authorities, including superintending engineer Surjit Singh (Ludhiana East Circle) and XEN Jagmohan Singh. The matter pertains to the compensation for kin of Amanpreet Singh, a contractual CHB worker, who died on August 20 after falling from an electricity pole while working on high-tension lines in the Sunder Nagar division.
Their suspension triggered strong opposition from several unions, including the Technical Services Union and PSEB Employees Federation (AITUC), which staged protests in Sunder Nagar earlier this week. Union leaders termed the action “bureaucratic high-handedness” and pressed the management to withdraw the suspension orders.
On Friday, the PSPCL issued a formal order reinstating both employees. However, the corporation clarified that this reinstatement is only interim, as the disciplinary case against them is still under inquiry. The final outcome will depend on the findings of the inquiry.
Explaining the decision, chief engineer Jagdev Hans said the reinstatement was made after serving a chargesheet to both employees. “A chargesheet is a formal notice given to an employee when they are accused of misconduct, negligence or violation of service rules. It lists the allegations and supporting evidence and the employee is asked to submit a written reply within a specific timeframe,” he said.
Hans further explained that once a chargesheet is served, the matter proceeds into a disciplinary inquiry. “In this process, evidence is examined and the employee is given a fair chance to defend themselves. The inquiry may result in the employee being exonerated or penalised. Penalties can range from warnings or stoppage of increments to suspension or even dismissal,” he added.
He also clarified that suspension is not a punishment but a temporary measure. “It is meant to ensure the inquiry is carried out without obstruction. If the department feels suspension is no longer necessary, an employee can be reinstated while the inquiry is pending. But reinstatement does not mean the charges are dropped, it simply allows the employee to resume duty until the final decision is taken,” Hans said.
