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2006 Supreme(Guj) 404

Gujarat High Court
Judgename :H.K.RATHOD
COMMERCIAL CO OP.BANK LTD. - Appellant
Versus
PRAVIN S MEHTA - Respondent
SPECIAL CIVIL APPLICATION 117 Of 2006
Decided On : 07/17/2006

Advocates Appeared: PARUL P.VASAVADA, Sirish Joshi

Headnote:Point in Issue :

       In absence of any Service Rules to the effect whether delinquent entitled to full wages for the period of suspension.

       Head Note :

       Industrial Disputes Act, 1947(Central Act 14 of 1947) - Section 33-C-2 - Recovery application - Full wages for suspension period - Grant of - Validity - Finding as to - In absence of any Service Rules providing specific subsistence allowance during the period of suspension, petitioner was rightly held liable to pay full wages to the workman during the period of suspension by the impugned order by Labour Court - This controversy is no more res integra in view of earlier judgment of this Court - The other contention that Labour Court ought not to have entertained recovery application in view of delay of about 7 to 8 years in filing this application is also without force and cannot be accepted - The application is filed under recovery provision where in no period of limitation is prescribed by statutory provisions no infirmity or jurisdictional error is pointed out in the impugned order of Labour Court - Court consequently refused any interference.

       Held :

       I have considered the submissions made by the Advocates for the parties. Court has perused the order in question as well as the order of this Court in SCA No. 443 of 1999 decided on 08.10.1999. Labour Court has rightly considered the matter at issue that when there is no service rule providing specific subsistence allowance during the period of suspension, then, petitioner shall have to pay full wages to the workman during the period of suspension. According to Court the controversy sought to be raised by the petitioner is no more res integra in view of the decision of this Court. [Para 4]

       As regards contention of Mr. Joshi that the labour Court ought not to have entertained recovery application in view of the delay of about 7 to 8 years in filing of such an application under Section 33-C-2 of the I.D. Act, 1947, no period of limitation has been prescribed by the statutory provisions in Section 33-C-2 of the I.D. Act, 1947. Therefore, in view of that and also in view the decision of this Court in case of GSRTC vs. Keshavlal Maneklal Shah reported in 1998 (2) GLH 996, contention about limitation raised by Mr. Joshi cannot be accepted. [Para 6]

       Law Laid Down :

       In absence of any Service Rules to the effect delinquent is entitled to full wages for the period of suspension.

       Case Law Analysis :

       GSRTC vs. Keshavlal Maneklal Shah, 1998 (2) GLH 996 [Para 6];; Bombay Gas Co. Ltd. vs. Gopal Bhiva & Ors., AIR 1964 SC 752 [Para 6];; Central Bank of India vs. P.S. Rajgopalan, AIR 1964 SC 743 [Para 6];; Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, 1978 (1) LLJ 349 [Para 6].- Relied on

       ESI Scheme vs. Natvarlal Amrutlal Shah, 1996 (1) GLH 161 [Para 6].-Distinguished

       Conclusion :

       In absence of any Service Rules providing specific subsistence allowance during the period of suspension petitioner was entitle to full wages for the period - Contention with regard delay in making application cannot also be sustained because no period of limitation is prescribed in the provision for making application.

       Cases Referred :

       Central Inland Water Transport Corporation Ltd. vs. Workmen, AIR 1974 SC 1604;; Bombay Telephone Canteen Employees Association vs. Union of India, 1997 (2) LLJ 647;; General Manager, Telecom vs. Srinivas Rao, 1998 (1) LLJ 255;;

       Decided in Favour of :

       Respondent

       Petition Dismissed

( 1 ) HEARD learned Advocate Mr. Shirish Joshi for petitioner and Ms. Parul Vasavda for respondent. In this petition under Article 227 of the Constitution of India, petitioner Bank has challenged the order passed by the Labour Court, Jamnagar in Recovery Application NO. 613 of 2001 dated 5. 5. 2005 wherein the labour court has partly allowed the recovery application and has directed the petitioner to pay to respondent an amount of Rs. 22415. 80 as dues towards full wages of suspension period within thirty days of publication of the said order.

( 2 ) LEARNED Advocate Mr. Joshi appearing for petitioner has submitted that the Model Standing Orders Act is not applicable to petitioner. He also submitted that after verification, Model Standing Orders are applicable to petitioner. He also raised a contention before this Court that the application under section 33-C-2 of the ID Act, 1947 was filed by the respondent workman after a period of 7 to 8 years and, therefore, labour court ought not to have entertained such an application in view of the delay on the part of the workman in filing of such an application. Except these submissions, no other submission was made by learned Advocate Mr. Joshi before this Court. No decision was cited by him before this Court.

( 3 ) ON the other hand, learned Advocate Ms. Vasavada appearing for the respondent workman has submitted that this question was examined by this Court (Coram ; Hon ble Ms. Justice R. M. Doshit) in Special Civil Application No. 443 of 1999 decided on 8. 10. 1999 wherein this Court has decided that when there is no service rules/statutory rules/standing Orders to provide how much subsistence allowance is to e paid to the workman during the period of suspension, then, workman is entitled for full wages during the period of suspension. Based on the aforesaid submission, learned Advocate Ms. Parul Vasavada submitted that the labour court was right in passing the order in question after considering the provisions of the Standing Orders as well as the earlier order of this Court in identical matter.

( 4 ) I have considered the submissions made by the learned Advocates for the parties. I have also perused the order in question as well as the order of this Court in SCA No. 443 of 1999 decided on 8. 10. 1999. According to my opinion, labour court has rightly considered the matter at issue that when there is no service rule providing specific subsistence allowance during the period of suspension, then, petitioner shall have to pay full wages to the workman during the period of suspension. According to my opinion, the controversy sought to be raised by the petitioner is no more res integra in view of the aforesaid decision of this Court (Coram : R. M. Doshit,j.) dated 8. 10. 1999. In para 4 of the said decision,this Court observed as under:"4. It is not disputed that the relevant standing order does not provide for payment of wages at the reduced rate during the period of suspension pending inquiry. In absence of specific rule to that effect the respondent would be entitled to the full wages even during the period of suspension. However, the demand was for 25% of wages by way of additional amount of subsistence allowance. The Learned Judge ought not to have granted more than what was demanded. The petition is therefore, allowed. The impugned order of the Learned labour Judge is modified to the effect that the respondent will be entitled to 25% of the wages by way of additional amount of subsistence allowance for the period in question. Rule is made absolute to the above extent only. There shall be no order as to costs. 4 to be quoted. "

( 5 ) THEREFORE, in view of the observations made by this Court in aforesaid case, it is clear that the contention sought to be raised by petitioner in this case has been negatived by this Court in aforesaid decision and, therefore, according to my opinion, labour court, Jamnagar was right in examining the matter at issue and was right in relying upon earli













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