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2006 Supreme(Guj) 413

Gujarat High Court
Judgename :H.K.RATHOD
BHAVNAGAR ZILLA SAHAKARI SANGH LTD. - Appellant
Versus
DHIREN P.PAREKH - Respondent
SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION 6353 Of 2006
Decided On : 07/19/2006

Advocates Appeared: SANGEETA BEN PAHWA, Sirish Joshi

Headnote:

Cooperative Societies Act, 1961 - section 25f – Industrial Dispute Act, 1947- Employment and Service – Termination of Service - Advocate for petitioner and for respondent workman - Through this petitioner Bhavnagar ltd has challenged award passed by labor Court Bhavnagar in Reference labor court has granted reinstatement with continuity of service with per cent of back wages for intervening period with all other consequential benefits - Respondent was not appointed provisions of bye laws and rules - He also submitted that the respondent was appointed as part time employee for specified period and his services were terminated on expiry of term for which was appointed as part time employee and therefore labor court ought not to have passed award in question - He submitted that this contention was raised by petitioner in its written statement filed before labor court – Held, High Court also should not interfere with a finding within jurisdiction of inferior tribunal except where findings are perverse and not based on any material evidence or it resulted in manifest injustice - Except to limited extent indicated above High Court has no jurisdiction - In opinion therefore in of this case on question that High Court has sought to interfere it is manifest that High Court has gone into questions which depended upon appreciation of evidence and indeed very fact that trial Judge came to one conclusion and Appellate Bench came to another conclusion is indication of position that two views were possible in this case - In preferring one view to another of factual appreciation of evidence High Court transgressed its limits of jurisdiction Article of Constitution - On first point therefore High Court was in error – Petition disposed of (Para 10)

( 1 ) HEARD learned Advocate Mr. Joshi for petitioner and Ms. Pahwa for respondent workman. Through this petition, petitioner Bhavnagar Jilla Sahakari Sangh Ltd. Has challenged the award passed by the labour Court, Bhavnagar in Reference (LCB) No. 495 of 1989 dated 1st February, 2006 wherein the labour court has granted reinstatement with continuity of service with 40 per cent of the back wages for intervening period with all other consequential benefits.

( 2 ) LEARNED Advocate Mr. Joshi appearing for the petitioner submitted that the appointment of the workman was by illegal method/irregular procedure. Respondent was not appointed under the provisions of bye laws and rules under the Cooperative Societies Act, 1961 and, therefore, respondent is not entitled for any benefit of section 25f of the ID Act, 1947. He also submitted that the respondent was appointed as part time employee for specified period and his services were terminated on expiry of the term for which he was appointed as part time employee and, therefore, labour court ought not to have passed the award in question. He submitted that this contention was raised by petitioner in its written statement filed before the labour court vide Exh. 5. He also submitted that no work was available after one year and, therefore, services of the workman were terminated after one year. By drawing attention of this court to Exh. 7/5 referred to in para 10 of the impugned award, it was submitted that the said resolution does not bear signature of any authorized person of the petitioner establishment and, therefore, labour court has erred in relying upon Exh. 7/5. It was also his submission that the labour court has erred in granting 40 per cent back wages for intervening period. Except these submissions, no other submission was made by Mr. Joshi. No decision was cited by him before this Court in support of his submissions.

( 3 ) ON the other hand, learned Advocate Ms. Pahwa appearing for the workman submitted that the respondent was appointed by petitioner by specific resolution with effect from 8. 8. 1988, was working with the petitioner from 11. 00 a. m. To 6. 00 p. m. And has completed 240 days continuous service and service of respondent was terminated on 20. 7. 1989 without following the mandatory provisions of section 25f of the ID Act, 1947. She also submitted that the part time employees are also covered by the definition of section 2 (s) of the ID Act wherein the term workman has been defined. She also submitted that the illegal or irregular appointment has nothing to do with the compliance of mandatory provisions of section 25f of the ID Act, 1947. It was her submission that there is no provision made in the ID Act, 1947 which would give such distinction for terminating services of workman. Therefore, she submitted that the labour court has rightly appreciated oral and documentary evidence on record and has rightly set aside the order of termination and granted 40 per cent back wages for intervening period. She also submitted that the labour court has not committed any error which would require interference of this court.

( 4 ) I have considered the submissions made by the learned advocates for the parties. I have also perused the impugned award made by the labour court.

( 5 ) LABOUR Court has considered the matter comprehensively while dealing with each and every contentions raised by petitioner before it. As regards contention raised by Mr. Joshi before this court that as the appointment of the respondent was illegal/irregular, therefore, compliance of section 25f of the ID Act, 1947 is not necessary, perusal of the record makes it clear that no such contention was raised by petitioner before labour court and it has been raised before this court for the first time. Labour court has given detailed reasons after considering documents on record as well as appreciating oral evidence produced before it. Respondent was examined vide Exh. 11. Three witnesses were examined on b





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