IN THE HIGH COURT OF GAUHATI
S.C. Das, J.
The Managing Director, Tripura Jute Mills Limited - Appellants
Vs.
Shri Kamal Bikash Roy - Respondent
W.P. (C) No. 178 of 2003
Decided On : 19.07.2012
Constitution of India – Article 226 – Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 – Section 7 – Tripura Jute Mills Employees (Revised Pay) Rules 1999 – Unconstitutionality – Illegality – Arbitrary – Writ-petitioner contended that promulgated by a notification employees of Tripura Jute Mills was subsequently revoked by a letter and thereafter certain directions were issued giving guidelines to Managing Director of TJML to place same before Board of Directors of TJML and Considering qualification and job responsibility attached with post of authority of TJML allowed pay scale of decision was taken having regard to nature and quality of work respdt was performing and there was nothing arbitrary or illegal in decision – Held, Labour Court has not been challenged – Writ petitioner placed no material on record to justify fixation of pay of respdt in scale of documents annexed clearly shows that pre-revised pay scale of revised to scale – While that scale was allowed to Pharmacist there was no reason at all for writ petitioner to deprive respdt from that scale – Writ petitioner stated that taking into consideration educational qualification and job responsibility inferior scale was allowed to respondent but no evidence/material adduced to substantiate it – Under such circumstances nothing to interfere in judgment & order passed by Labour Court – Petition dismissed.
S.C. Das, J.
1. By this wait petition, the petitioner has challenged the judgment & order, dated 30.07.2002, passed by learned Presiding Judge, Labour Court, West Tripura, Agartala (District & Sessions Judge) in. Labour Court Case No. 2/2001, registered on a reference made by State Government under Section 7(1) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. Heard learned counsel, Mr. G S. Das for the petitioner and learned counsel, Mr. Somik Deb for the respdt.
2. The dispute referred under Section 7(1) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 mentioned in the schedule of the reference reads thus :
(a) Whether Sri Kamal Bikash Roy is entitled to get the scale of Rs. 4200-8650/- as per Revised Scale of Pay 1999 and if so, the date of effect of the scale and
(b) If not, to what scale, if any, Sri Roy is entitled as per Revised Scale of Pay 1999?
The Presiding Judge of the Labour Court, considering the materials placed before it and after hearing the parties, held that Sri Kamal Bikash Roy is entitled to get the pay scale of Rs. 4200-8650/- as per Revised Scale of Pay 1999 and the said special pay scale should be given effect from the date when person occurring the post of 'Pharmacist' was given the said pay scale.
3. Upon hearing learned counsel of both side and after going through the writ petition, annexed documents and the counter-affidavit, filed by respdt., I find certain admitted facts and those are :
(a) The respdt Kamal Bikash Roy was appointed, on 11.01.1981, by the General Manager of Tripura Jute Mills Ltd. (for short TJML) on a monthly consolidated stipend of Rs. 180/- (Rupees one hundred and eighty).
(b) His academic qualification is Madhyamik passed.
(c) He successfully completed the training and was shifted to Statistical Quality Control Unit of the TJML.
(d) He was provided with a consolidated pay of Rs. 365/- (Rupees three hundred and sixty five).
(e) He is a workman.
(f) His pay was fixed as per bipartite agreement between the TJML and its Workers Union.
(g) By a memorandum, dated 19.08.1985, issued by Personal Officer, TJML the respdt was designated as Statistical Quality Control Investigator (for short S.Q.C.I.) and a pay scale of Rs. 4,04-7-467-9-575/- was allowed, at the initial basic pay of Rs. 425/- (Rupees four hundred and twenty five) only per month w.e.f. 20.07.1985 was fixed.
(h) Pursuant to bipartite agreement, the pay of the respdt was subsequently raised to Rs. 670/- (Rupees six hundred and seventy) per month with an increment of Rs. 18/- (Rupees eighteen) per year.
4. By a notification, dated 16.06.1999, published in Tripura Gazettee, dated 21.06.1999, the Tripura Jute Mills Employees (Revised Pay) Rules 1999 was promulgated giving effect from 01.04.1999. Under that revised pay rules, pay of the respdt was fixed in the scale of Rs. 4200-8650/-. Subsequently, TJML fixed the pay of respdt in the scale of Rs. 3300-7100/- instead of Rs. 4200-8650/-. The respdt submitted representation to the authority but received no positive response. Therefore, the respdt initiated inter alia the dispute as a workman which ultimately referred by State Government to the Labour Court.
5. TJML, the writ-petitioner herein, contended that the ROP 1999 promulgated by a notification, dated 16.06.1999, for the employees of Tripura Jute Mills was subsequently revoked by a letter, dated 05.07.1999 and thereafter, certain directions were issued giving guidelines to the Managing Director of TJML to place the same before the Board of Directors of TJML and thereafter, considering the qualification and job responsibility attached with the post of S.Q.C.I., the authority of TJML allowed the pay scale of Rs. 3300-7100/-. The decision was taken having regard to the nature and quality of work, the respdt was performing and there was nothing arbitrary or illegal in the decision.
6. Learned counsel, Mr. Das, appearing for the petitioner, has submitted that the ROP 1999, notified on 16.06.1999, was subsequently revoked by a letter, dated 05.07.1999 and thereaf
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