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2011 Supreme(All) 192

[2011(3) ADJ 242]
ALLAHABAD HIGH COURT
BEFORE : S.U. KHAN, J.
STATE OF U.P. …..Petitioner
Versus
PRESIDING OFFICER, LABOUR COURT, KANPUR AND ANOTHER ….Respondents
(Civil Misc. Writ Petition No. 11986 of 1998, decided on 24th January, 2011)

Advocates:
Counsel :
S.C. for the Petitioner; S.C., Anil Kumar Sharma for the Respondents,

Headnote:Industrial Disputes Act, 1947—Section 25-F—U.P. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947—Section 6-N—Termination—Workman—Daily Wages—Payment of retrenchment compensation—If daily wagers worked for a period and their services terminated without payment of retrenchment compensation then consolidated damages should be awarded—Since petitioner received about Rs. 78,000 without any work as idle wages, under interim order, said amount more than sufficient compensation—Such amount treated to be as compensation. [Paras 7 and 8]

       

JUDGMENT

Hon’ble S.U. Khan, J.—Heard learned counsel for the parties.

2. This writ petition is directed against award dated 27.10.1993 given by presiding officer labour Court (I) U.P. Kanpur in Adjudication case No. 67 of 1991. The matter which was referred to the labour Court was as to whether action of petitioner employer terminating the services of its workman Atar Singh respondent No. 2 in this writ petition w.e.f. 1.4.1990 was just and valid or not.

3. The workman contended that he was appointed as tree planter in November 1988 and worked on the said post until 31.3.1990 however w.e.f. 1.4.1990 his services were terminated without any notice or retrenchment compensation. The employer pleaded that the workman was engaged on daily wages basis from time to time, that he had never worked continuously and that since September 1989 he had not worked with the petitioner. The workman admitted that since September 1989 till March 1990 he had not been paid any wages. Towards concluding portion of para 10 of the award the labour Court held that the employer could not prove that from 1.10.1989 till 31.3.1990 no work was taken from the workman while the workman had stated on oath that for the said period he had worked hence his version was bound to be believed. Ultimately, labour Court held that the workman was entitled to reinstatement with full backwages from 1.4.1990 till date of reinstatement. It was further directed that back wages @ Rs.18 per day should be paid.

4. In this writ petition on 23.4.1998 an interim order was passed to the effect that in case the petitioner paid to the workman his wages @ wages last drawn from the date of filing of the writ petition then the award of the labour Court should remain in abeyance.

5. Supreme Court in Range Forest Officer v. S.T. Hadimani, AIR 2002 SC 1147, has held in para 3 as follows:

For the view we are taking, it is not necessary to go into the question as to whether the appellant is an “industry” or not, though reliance is placed on the decision of this Court in State of Gujarat v. Pratam Singh Narsinh Parmar, JT 2001 (3) SC 326. In our opinion the Tribunal was not right in placing the onus on the Management without first determining on the basis of cogent evidence that the respondent had worked for more than 240 days in the year preceding his termination. It was the case of the claimant that he had so worked but this claim was denied by the Appellant. It was then for the claimant to lead evidence to show that he had in fact worked for 240 days in the year preceding his termination. Filing of an affidavit is only his own statement in his favour and that cannot be regarded as sufficient evidence for any Court or Tribunal to come to the conclusion that a workman had, in fact, worked for 240 days in a year. No proof of receipt of salary or wages for 240 days or order or record of appointment or engagement for this period was produced by the workman. On this ground alone, the award is liable to be set aside.

Same view has been reiterated in “Sita Ram v. M.L.N.F. Training Institute”, AIR 2008 SC 1955.

6. Moreover Supreme Court in several authorities including the following has held that if the only defect in the termination order is non payment of retrenchment compensation as required by Section 25 F of Industrial Dispute Act (or Section 6 N of U.P.I.D. Act) then it is not always necessary to direct reinstatement with full back wages and that in such situation more often than not proper relief may be to award consolidated damages/compensation particularly when the employer is Government or Governmental agency and relevant rules have not been followed before appointment.

“Nagar Mahapalika v. State of U. P.”, AIR 2006 SC 2113

“Haryana State Electronics Devpt Corpn v. Mamni”, AIR 2006 SC 2427

“Sita Ram v. Moti Lal Nehru Farmers Training Institute”, AIR 2008 SC 1955

“Jagbir Singh v. Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board and another”, AIR 2009 SC 3004

7. In Senior Superintendent, Telegraph (T





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