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1984 Supreme(SC) 228

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
D.A. DESAI AND A. VARADARAJAN, JJ.
M/s. Mathura Electric Supply Co. Ltd. and another, Appellants
Versus
State of U.P. and another, Respondents.
Civil Misc. Petn. No. 1853 of 1983 in Civil Appeal No. 433 (N) of 197
Decided on D/- 22-8-1984.
Advocates appeared
 
Mr. Manoj Swarup, Advocate, for Appellants; Mrs. Shobha Dikshit, Advocate for Respondents; Mr. J. Ramamurthy, Advocate for other side.

Advocates:
J.RAMAMURTHY, MANOJ SVARUP, SHOBHA DIXIT

Headnote:

U. P. Industrial Disputes Act 1947 - Section 4-K - Indian Electricity Act 1967 - Section 6 - Employed as an Assistant Lineman - Dismissed from service – Backwages - Respondent was employed as an Assistant Lineman in Mathura Electric Supply Co. Ltd - He was dismissed from service - This led to an industrial dispute in respect of which a reference was made under S. 4-K of U. P. Industrial Disputes Act 1947 ultimately to Labour Court - As was only to be expected a preliminary objection was raised on behalf of the appellant that reference was incompetent - Labour Court by its award dated held that reference was competent and further held that dismissal from service was illegal and invalid and granted reinstatement with continuity of service and full backwages - Appellant after an unsuccessful writ petition and writ appeal in High Court landed in Court by an appeal by special leave - Accordingly, a notice was also sent to U. P. Electricity Board and learned senior counsel instructed by appeared for U. P. Electricity Board – Held, Court invited both learned counsel to take over year to year computation keeping in view salary scale admissible to Assistant Lineman yearly increment rise in dearness allowance and incidental benefits - No material is placed on record to show that it could have been earned as a matter of right and by time effective reinstatement of workman took place he was nearer his superannuation - When exercise of year to year computation was taken up ultimately we were told that Court may award a reasonable compensation for backwages because this year to year computation would be a long and tardy exercise - Appellant in respect of backwages and monetary equivalent of other benefits for period from to effective date of reinstatement - Board will be entitled to take credit for amount already paid under order of this Court dated - In other words Board shall pay to workman as backwages and monetary equivalent of other benefits for period to date of reinstatement - Order accordingly.

JUDGMENT

DESAI, J. :— The chronology of events leading to the re-instatement of the respondent which gave rise to the present miscellaneous petition have been succinctly set out in the judgment of this Court in Mathura Electric Supply Co. Ltd. v. State of U. P. (1981) 3 SCC 623. Respondent Summera was employed as an Assistant Lineman in the Mathura Electric Supply Co. Ltd. (Appellant for short). He was dismissed from service on August 19, 1955. This led to an industrial dispute in respect of which a reference was made under S. 4-K of the U. P. Industrial Disputes Act 1947 ultimately to the Labour Court, Meerut. As was only to be expected a preliminary objection was raised on behalf of the appellant that the reference was incompetent. The Labour Court by its award dated September 30, 1958 held that the reference was competent and further held that the dismissal from service was illegal and invalid and granted reinstatement with continuity of service and full backwages. The appellant after an unsuccessful writ petition and writ appeal in the Allahabad High Court landed in this Court by an appeal by special leave. This Court by its judgment dated May 6, 1981 held that the reference was competent and affirmed the award of the Labour Court. Once the award of the Labour Court became final the respondent had to be reinstated in service with all consequential benefits. The respondent has been reinstated in service.

2. The dispute between the parties was about the computation of the benefits to which the respondent is entitled under the award of the Labour Court affirmed by this Court.

3. Apart from seeking monetary computation the respondent also prayed for taking action in contempt against the officers of the appellant-company as well as the U. P. Electricity Board.

4. It may be mentioned that in July, 1975 the undertaking of the appellant-company was acquired under S. 6 of the Indian Electricity Act 1967 and it has vested in the U. P. Electricity Board. Accordingly, a notice was also sent to the U. P. Electricity Board and Mrs. S. N. Kackker learned senior counsel instructed by Mrs. Shobha Dikshit appeared for the U. P. Electricity Board (Board for short). This petition was heard on number of occasions having a speed of slow motion news and by small bits some relief has already been given to the hard pressed respondent.

5. To begin with the respondent has been reinstated in the service of the Board under the orders of this Court. By an order made by this Court on October 24, 1983 the Board was directed to pay Rs. 20,000/- to the respondent towards the arrears of backwages with liberty to adjust the amount when final computation is made. Both the sides were directed to file their respective computations of backwages and monetary equivalent of other benefits. Computation and counter-computations have been, filed by both the parties.

6. Mr. Kackker urged that the liability of the Board would commence from the date of the acquisition of the undertaking of the appellant-company and prior thereto the liability to pay the backwages and monetary equivalent of other benefits would be of the appellants. It was also submitted that the liability of the appellant till, the date of take over in the matter of backwages and other benefits to respondent Summera would be in the amount of Rs. 30,000/-. On this submission we heard learned counsel appearing for the appellant-company. Having heard them we are satisfied that this computation is correct and unassailable. We accordingly direct that the Board shall pay Rs. 30,000/- to the respondent for the backwages and monetary equivalent of other benefits for the period commencing from the date of the termination of service i.e. August 19, 1955 up to the date of acquisition of the electrical undertaking of the appellant-company i.e. July, 1975. We further direct on the, payment of Rs. 30,000/- by the Board to respondent Summera as herein directed the same shall be deductible from the compensation that the Boar









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