Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Government today (June 23, 2004) reinstated all the 15,500 temporary employees, whose services were terminated two days ago.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, in a statement in Chennai, said she had taken the decision with a 'sympathetic view', based on the representations received from these employees.

These employees were taken in service on a consolidated salary of Rs 4,000 per month, after permanent employees went on a strike in July 2003 and were dismissed.

Jayalalithaa said the temporary employees had, in their representations, stated they were on the live registers of employment exchanges for a long period and could not easily find alternate employment.

They had also requested her to take a sympathetic view of their situation and to continue with their services.

"Though the original necessity of engaging these persons on a temporary basis to meet the strike situation has ceased, I have decided to take a sympathetic view, based on their representation and have ordered that their services may be continued in the Government," she said.

The reinstatement of the temporary employees comes in the wake of widespread criticism by political parties and organisations, which had also asked the Government to take them back in service on "humanitarian grounds".