1994 Supreme(Raj) 523
Rajasthan High Court
Honble G.C. Mital, CJ.
Marudhar Kshetriya Gramin Bank - Appellant
Versus
Bhagwan Ram - Respondents
S.B. Civil Revision No. 185 of 1993
Decided On : November 25, 1994
M. R. Singhvi, for Petitioner R.S. Saluja for Respondents
Headnote:Payment of Wages Act, 1936, Sec. 17(1-A) and Limitation Act, Sec. 12 — Appeal — How much time be allowed to the employer for obtaining copy is subject to the provisions of Sec. 12 of Limitation Act - The limitation period be counted by the appellate court from the date of production of deposit before the appellate court and on that date, it be treated that appeal was properly constituted - If on that date the appeal is found to be time barred after giving benefit of thirty days plus time spent in obtaining copy, it can be dismiss as time barred. (Para 8)
(2). The learned counsel for the employer urges in support of the revision that true meaning and scope of the beneficial legislation contained in Section 17(1-A) has not been appreciated by the appellate court. The idea is that within the period of limitation the appeal should be filed so also the appellate court should be informed that the amount awarded has been deposited by producing a certificate thereof. This beneficial legislation is for the purpose that in case appeal is dismissed or the order of the trial court is modified, the amount which is payable to the employees should be paid to him without loss of time.
(3). The learned counsel urged that if the relevant provision of appeal is correctly read and understood, it would show that no appeal shall lie unless the memorandum of appeal is accompanied by certificate of deposit. Therefore, he says that until the deposit is made, no appeal shall lie. He says that it does not mean that inspite of actual filing of appeal within limitation and inspite of actual deposit of amount and production of the certificate within time, a Court of law can say that the appeal did not He or the appeal will be dismissed as not maintainable.
(4). In order to appreciate the argument, I consider it proper to reproduce the relevant provisions : —
17. Appeal. —(1) An appeal against an order dismissing either wholly or in part an application made under Sub-section (2) of Section 15, or against a direction made under sub- section(3) or sub section (4) of that section may be preferred, within thirty days of the date on which the order or . direction was made, in a Presidency town before the court of Small Causes and elsewhere before the District Court.
(1-A) No appeal under Cl. (a) of sub-section (1) shall lie unless the memorandum of appeal is accompanied by certificate by the authority to the effect that the appellant has deposited the amount payable under the direction appealed against."
(5). A reading of the aforesaid provisions clearly shows that limitation of 30 days is given for filing of appeal besides the time spent in obtaining certified copy of the order appealed against. It further shows that no appeal shall he unless memorandum of appeal is accompanied by certificate of deposit which clearly means that the appeal and deposit and information of deposit to court have to be within limitation. It is wrong to say that even if appeal filed is within limitation, but prior to deposit and deposit is not made within limitation and information by producing certificate of deposit is filed within limitation, such an appeal w