A view of the High Court of Kerala in Kochi. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Stating that an employee cannot be transferred without any justifiable reason, the Kerala High Court has set aside the transfer of Jaimon Joseph, the driver of a Fast Passenger bus, as part of what the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) termed as ‘disciplinary action’ for keeping a pair of bottles containing drinking water on the dashboard of the bus.
The transfer (from Kottayam to Thrissur) can thus only be treated as a colourable exercise of power, a Bench of Justice N. Nagaresh said and allowed a petition filed by Mr. Joseph. The court also directed KSRTC to permit him to continue working in the agency’s Ponkunnam unit.
Circular issued in 2024 against keeping items near windscreen, KSRTC informs Kerala HC
The transfer order does not disclose any reason for the transfer on administrative grounds. Neither does it speak of any disciplinary issues. “In the absence of any justifiable reason, his transfer would be punitive in nature,” the court added.
The driver was transferred after Transport Minister K.B. Ganesh Kumar intercepted the bus he was driving and directed action against him for keeping two water bottles on the dashboard of the bus, earlier this month. Mr Joseph contended that he was carrying the two bottles of water to drink during the 210 km trip and that there was no alternative space within the driver’s cabin to place the bottles.
Published – October 17, 2025 01:11 pm IST
