Prasar Bharati issue to drag on

NEW DELHI: Employees of public broadcaster Prasar Bharati, numbering around 40,000 across the country, may have to wait much longer before they can exercise their option to either stay with the broadcaster or go back to the government.

After a 90-minute meeting of the group of ministers (GoM), headed by home minister Shivraj Patil, here on Friday the information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry decided to ask the Supreme Court for more time to address the “employees option” issue.

The GoM was constituted after the SC in February had asked the government to take a final view on how and when the employees of Prasar Bharati can exercise the option of either staying with the broadcaster or going back to the government. The apex court had given the government time till August 2 to firm up a view.

As the GoM and Prasar Bharati have been unable to take a decision, the government has decided to ask the court for more time to resolve the matter.