Show cause notice if absent tomorrow: West Bengal govt tells employees after Left Front calls Bandh

The Left Front has called for a shutdown on March 10 as a mark of protest against several issues including corruption, freedom of the press, non-payment of dearness allowance, attack on opposition parties and others.

'Sangrami Joutho Manch', the joint forum of 35 unions representing teachers, doctors, nurses and other state government employees already called a strike over the issues. They have been protesting for a long time against the pending dearness allowance of the state government employees. Left and Congress are backing the strike.

The state government notification said whoever will be absent, the show cause notice will be issued to employees and they have to reply with the cause of absence. If they failed, disciplinary action will be taken against them.

"In view of the call given by some organisations for a strike on March 10, 2023 it has been decided that all State government offices including those provided with Grants-in-Aid by the State government including educational institutions shall remain open and all the employees shall report for duty on that day. It has been decided that no casual leave or any other kind of leave for absence either in the first half of the day or in the second half or for the whole day shall be granted to any employee on an above-mentioned day," read the West Bengal government notification.

It is further notified that the absence of employees on that day will be treated as dies-non (break in service) and no salary will be admissible.

"All Heads of Offices/Controlling Authorities concerned will issue a show-cause notice to the employee(s) concerned, who will remain absent on March 10, 2023, asking him/her to explain why action would not be taken against him/her for such unauthorised absence," the notification added. (ANI)