Balak Sai v. South Eastern Coalfields Limited
Case brief
What is this about?
Common order dated 27.06.2025 of the High Court of Chhattisgarh, Bilaspur (Sanjay K. Agrawal, J., single bench) allowing WPS No. 53 of 2017, WPS No. 5914 of 2016 and WPS No. 5124 of 2017 filed by sixteen retired workmen of South Eastern Coalfields Limited against conversion of their services from Piece Rated to Time Rated employees without notice or opportunity of hearing, in violation of principles of natural justice and due procedure (reference to 'Industrial Dispute, 1947'); respondents had contended pay protection was granted; Court held that orders causing rejection of financial benefits required prior opportunity of hearing and set aside orders dated 29.06.2016 and 19.08.2017, granting no liberty to respondents since the petitioners stood retired; no costs. Keywords: piece rated, time rated, conversion, natural justice, opportunity of hearing, pay protection, superannuation benefits, leave wages, SECL, service law.