ORDER

1. Heard learned counsel for the Uttaranchal Forest Development Corporation, the employer and learned counsel appearing for the employees.

2. The benefit of Section 17-B of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 by directing reinstatement in service or payment of last wages drawn in lieu thereof can be granted only in favour of such workmen who have obtained awards in their favour from the Industrial Tribunal/Labour Court and in support of their claims filed affidavits. Learned counsel for the employer states that such workmen who had directly approached by writ petitions to the High Court for seeking relief of reinstatement, cannot be granted benefit of Section 17-B of the Industrial Disputes Act as there was no evidence before the Tribunal or the Labour Court about their non-employment or gainful employment elsewhere after discontinuance of their services.

3. After hearing learned counsel for the parties, we direct that only such workmen in whose favour there are awards of reinstatement and who have filed affidavits of their not being in gainful employment, shall be entitled to be granted reinstatement or in lieu thereof paid wages last drawn by them on respective dates of their t