The govt has blacklisted these agencies for violating the provisions of the MPSG Act to protect the interests of the private security guards.
Once again, the spotlight is on private security agencies. After years of attempting to regulate them, the state government has blacklisted more than 46 leading private security agencies in the city, for allegedly violating the provisions of the Maharashtra Private Security Guards (MPSG) (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, enacted in 1981 to protect the interests of the private security guards.
On July 13, the state government issued notifications cancelling the exemption granted to guards employed with Tops Securities, Group 4 Securitas, Monitron, Hindustan Security Force, Vigilante Securities and Navshakti Security Force and others. The government has directed that action will be taken not only against the blacklisted private agencies but also persons and establishments which continue to hire their services.Several guards employed with the black-listed agencies have moved the Bombay High Court challenging this “unjustified” move.
According to the petitions, under the MPSG Act private guards were required to register themselves with the state-appointed Securities Guard Board, which then deployed them. In 2003, they were granted an exemption to seek employment with private security agencies, which had to comply with the provisions of MPSG Act regarding minimum wages, ex-gratia, gratuity, over-time allowance and paid leave.
By cancelling this exemption, lakhs of private guards are now jobless. The petitions,likely to be heard by the HC on Thursday, state that the guards have been getting their benefits and have no grievances against their employers.
The petitioners have sought the cancellation of the July notifications. Said AA Khan, retd IPS officer and chairperson of Vigilante Securities, “This move is totally unjustified. The government has no basis for blacklisting private security agencies.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}