Bharat Gold Mines Limited - Update

Update

As of April 2011 the ill lluck of the ex-employees of BGML continues without any light at the end of the tunnel. The government confirmed in an answer to a parliament question that it has no plans for the revival of BGML on its own. In spite of this the Review Petiton of the unions to permit them to revive the mines was turned down by the court without any direction to the government. Last time the court took 6 months to release its order. It is anybody’s guess how long it will take this time as more than 8 months have already passed since it delivered its oral order rejecting the Review petition of the Employees. Even after the order is released it is not known whether the employees have the funds for appealing in the Supreme Court. If not then it can be said that BGML is finally dead and the employees stand betrayed even by the Indian judiciary which was their last bastion of hope.

Further Update More than a year has now (August 2011) elapsed since the oral order was given by the court in the Review Petition but there is still no sign of the written order. No appeal can be filed unless an order is released and a certified copy becomes available. In the Indian judicial system there is no remedy if a judge refuses to release his order. Fed up of waiting for the order in the Review Petition the Employees' Forum has now appealed against the Division Bench Order directly in the Supreme Court as if the entire review petition episode never happened. Surprisingly the Government of India has also moved the Supreme Court against the Division Bench order admitting that the earlier statements made in the high court on its behalf were not authentic. This is thanks mainly to the departure of the earlier minister and arrival of a new minister in the mines ministry who is known for his acumen. Even more fortunately the matter is listed before the Hon'ble Chief Justice of India himself, a judge who is renowned for his unimpeachable integrity, extraordinary diligence and a no nonsense approach. This incredible development has rekindled once again the hopes of the ex employees of BGML who now see a ray of light at the end of a long, dark, depressing and miserable tunnel.