Allowed

Manoj Kumar Saloi and 5 Ors. v. the Union of India and 3 Ors.

Gauhati HC15 Dec 2021I.A.(Civil)/921/2021

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The Gauhati High Court disposed of an interlocutory application seeking a direction to comply with Section 17B of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947. Relying on Supreme Court precedents, the court held that petitioners non-employment at the time of application and right to engage in petty business for sustenance entitled them to the last drawn wages.

What did the court decide?

Directing the respondents to comply with Section 17B by paying the last drawn wages from the date of disengagement from new projects.

Manoj Kumar Saloi and 5 Ors. Vs the Union of… — Labour and Industrial Disputes | Gauhati HC (2021)

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Page No.# 1/15

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GAHC010125022021

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THE GAUHATI HIGH COURT (HIGH COURT OF ASSAM, NAGALAND, MIZORAM AND ARUNACHAL PRADESH)

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Case No. : I.A.(Civil)/1580/2021

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PANKAJ GOSWAMI AND 4 ORS.

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S/O LATE DHARANI DHAR GOSWAMI, R/O VILL. KATALABARKUCHI, P.O. MILANPUR, DIST. AND P.S. NALBARI, ASSAM, PIN 781337

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2: MD. AINUL HAQUE S/O LATE ALIMUDDIN R/O VILL- LARMA GORHATI P.O. DHUHI

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DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM

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PIN - 781105.

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3: SHRI SUNIL BUZAR BARUAH S/O LATE AMBIKA NATH BUZAR BARUAH R/O VILL- BARKHALA P.O. K.P. BARKHALA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM

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PIN - 781115.

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4: SHRI PRADIP RAJBONGSHI S/O LATE RAMESH RAJBONGSHI R/O VILL- HAHDALI P.O. NAHERBARI P.S. GHOGRAPAR DIST. NALBARI ASSAM

PIN - 783001.

5: SHRI MONI RAM DAS

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S/O LATE MADHU RAM DAS R/O VILL- TUPALIA P.O. GERUA ASHRAM P.O. BARAMA DIST. BAKSA ASSAM- 783006

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VERSUS

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THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS. REPRESENTED BY THE SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES SHARAM SHAKTI BHAWAN, RAFI MARG, NEW DELHI 110001

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2:BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

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REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29. 3:THE CHAIRMAN

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29. 4:OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD NALBARI DIVISION REPRESENTED BY THE CHAIRMAN BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GUWAHATI 2

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Advocate for the Petitioner : MR A DASGUPTA

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Advocate for the Respondent : ASSTT.S.G.I.

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Linked Case : I.A.(Civil)/920/2021

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GUNESWARI DEKA KALITA AND 4 ORS. W/O. LATE ATUL CH. KALITA R/O. VILL. CHENIMARA

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Page No.# 3/15

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P.O. BEHAPARA P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN- 781365 2: SAMIN CH. DAS S/O. LATE RAJAT CH. DAS R/O. VILL. BARSARKUKCHI P.O. MILANPUR P.S. AND DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN- 781337 3: SEWALI HALOI BARUA W/O. LATE DIMBESWAR BARUAH R/O. VILL. AND P.O. BARNIBARI P.S. MUKALMUA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN- 781126 4: SUBODH SARMA S/O. SRI GOLOK CH. SARMA R/O. VILL. AND P.O. KAKAYA P.S. BELSAR DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN- 781304 5: BHOLARAM BORO S/O. LATE HARICHARAN BORO R/O. VILL. SARU CHAKADOL P.O. BAR CHAKAKADOL P.S. SIMLA DIST. BAKSA BTAD ASSAM PIN- 781373 VERSUS

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THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS. REP. BY THE SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES SHARAM SHAKTI BHAWAN FAFI MARG NEW DELHI PIN- 110001

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2:BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN BASISTHA GHY- 29 3:THE CHAIRMAN BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GHY- 29 4:THE OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE ENGINEER BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD LAKHIMPUR DIVISION REP. BY THE CHAIRMAN BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GHY- 29 -----------Advocate for : MR A DASGUPTA Advocate for : ASSTT.S.G.I. appearing for THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS.

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Linked Case : I.A.(Civil)/921/2021

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MANOJ KUMAR SALOI AND 5 ORS. S/O. LATE KRISHNA KR. SALOI R/O. VILL. GURKUKCHI P.O. AND P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN- 781105

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2: GAJENDRA NATH SALOI S/O. LATE RAJEN SALOI R/O. VILL. AND P.O. CHANMAGURI P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN- 781015 3: BALI RAM BARMAN S/O. LATE KAHCHI RAM BARMAN R/O. VILL. AND P.O. BARTALA P.S. MUKALMUA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN- 783005

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4: DHARANI CHANDRA KALITA S/O. LATE JAY RAM KALITA R/O. VILL. AND P.O. KARIA P.S. AND DIST. NALBARI PIN- 781339 5: HEMANTA SALOI S/O. LATE DAYA RAM SALOI R/O. VILL. KARTHORA P.O. JAMTOLA P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN- 781015 6: CHABIN KALITA S/O. LATE DHARANI DHAR KALITA R/O. VILL. KADAMTOLA P.O. NISALAMARI P.O. AND P.S. BARAMA DIST. BAKSA ASSAM PIN- 783006 VERSUS THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS. REP. BY THE SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES SHARAM SHAKTI BHAWAN RAFI MARG NEW DELHI- 110001 2:BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN BASISTHA GHY- 29 3:THE CHAIRMAN BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GHY- 29 4:OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER JALPAIGURI DIVISION REP. BY THE CHAIRMAN BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GHY- 29 -----------Advocate for : MR A DASGUPTA

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Advocate for : MR. S C KEYAL appearing for THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS.

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Linked Case : WP(C)/7845/2018

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THE UNION OF INDIA AND 6 ORS REP. BY THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA

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MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES SHRAM SHAKTI BHAWNA RAFI MARG

NEW DELHI- 110001.

2: BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN

BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29.

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3: THE CHAIRMAN

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29.

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4: THE GENERAL MANAGER

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

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BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29.

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5: THE CHIEF ENGINEER-II BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

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BASISTHA GUWAHATI-29.

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6: THE SECRETARY BRAHMAPURA BOARD BASISTHA

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GUWAHATI -29.

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7: THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

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NALBARI DIVISION

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD NALBARI. VERSUS DEHNUR ALI (RUMIA BEGUM) AND 24 ORS. S/O LATE MAHER ALI R/O VILL- DHUHI NO. 1 P.O.DHUHI DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM 783001. 2:SHRI MONI RAM DAS S/O LATE MADHU RAM DAS R/O VILL- TUPALIA P.O. GERUA ASHRAM P.O. BARAMA DIST. BAKSA ASSAM- 783006. 3:MD. AINUL HAQUE S/O LATE ALIMUDDIN AHMED R/O VILL- LARMA GORHATI P.O. DHUHI DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781105. 4:SHRI SUNIL BUZAR BARUAH S/O LATE AMBIKA NATH BUZAR BARUAH R/O VILL- BARKHALA P.O. K.P. BARKHALA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781115. 5:SHRI SUBODH SARMAH S/O SRI GOLAK CH. SARMAH R/O VILL- KAKAYA P.O.KAKAYA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM- 783001. 6:SHRI GANESH DUTTA S/O LATE MANOMOHAN DUTTA R/O VILL- DAHUDI P.O. AND P.S. SALMARA

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DIST. NALBARI ASSAM. PIN- 783001. 7:SHRI BHOLA RAM BORO S/O LATE HARICHARAN BORO R/O VILL- SARUCHAKADAL P.O. BARCHAKADAL P.S. SIMLA DIST. BAKSA ASSAM- 783001 8:SHRI SAMIN CH. DAS S/O LATE RAJAT CH. DAS R/O VILL- BARTALA P.O. BARTALA P.S.MUKALMUA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN - 783006. 9:SHRI BALI RAM BARMAN S/O LATE KAHCHI RAM BARMAN R/O VILL- BARTALA P.O. BARTALA P.S. MUKALMUA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN- 783005. 10:SHRI DHARANI CH. KALITA S/O LATE JAY RAM KALITA R/O VILL- KARIA P.S.NALBARI DIST. NALBARI ASSAM- 783001. 11:SHRI SUBODH BAISHYA S/O LATE SURENDRA NATH BAISHYA R/O VILL- MAROWA P.O. MAROWA P.S. NALBARI DIST.NALBARI ASSAM PIN - 783001 12:SHRI CHABIN KALITA S/O LATE DHARANI DHAR KALITA R/O VILL- KADAMTOLA P.O.NISALAMARI P.O. BARAMA P.S. BARAMA DIST BAKSA

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Page No.# 9/15

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ASSAM- 783006. 13:SHRI NAGEN RAJBONGSHI S/O LATE UPEN RAJBONGSHI R/O VILL- KENDUKUCHI P.O. KENDUKUCHI P.S.NALBARI DIST. NALBARI ASSAM-783006. 14:MD. NURUL HAQUE S/O MD. NUR MAHAMMAD R/O VILL- BALAJUGTALI P.O. DHUHI DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781101. 15:SHRI BHOGIRATH MEDHI S/O LATE HATKANTA MEDHI R/O VILL- KASKURI P.O. BONGAIGAON P.S. SARTHEBARI DIST. BARPETA ASSAM 783006. 16:MD. AJMAT ALI S/O LATE MAHIDDIN ALI R/O VILL- BARPANARA P.O. BIHDIA P.S. BAIHATA CHARIALI DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781021 17:MRS. SEWALI HALOI BARUAH W/O LATE DIMBESWAR BARUAH R/O VILL- BARNIBARI P.O. BARNIBARI P.S. MUKALMUA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM 783001. 18:SHRI MANOJ KR. SALOI S/O SRI KRISHNA KR. SALOI R/O VILL- GURKUCHI P.O. RANGIA

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P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP

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ASSAM

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PIN - 781105. 19:SHRI PRADIP KR. DAS S/O LATE NAKUL DAS R/O VILL- TELERA NAKUCHI P.O.JAMTOLA P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781105. 20:MRS. GUNESWARI DEKA KALITA W/O LATE ATUL CH. KALITA R/O VILL- CHENIMARA P.O. BEHAPARA P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781004. 21:SHRI SOMNATH BORO S/O LATE KAMESWAR BORO R/O VILL- BARBHERA P.O. CHECHAPANI P.S. TAMULPUR DIST. BAKSA ASSAM PIN - 783006. 22:SHRI HEMANTA SALOI S/O LATE DAYA RAM SALOI R/O VILL- KARTHORA P.O. JAMTOLA P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781015. 23:SHRI GAJENDRA NATH SALOI S/O LATE RAJEN SALOI R/O VILL- CHANMAGURI P.O. CHNMAGURI P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781015. 24:SHRI PRADIP RAJBONGSHI S/O LATE RAMESH RAJBONGSHI

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R/O VILL- HAHDALI P.O. NAHERBARI P.S. GHOGRAPAR DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN - 783001. 25:SHRI PANKAJ GOSWAMI S/O LATE DHARONI DHAR GOSWAMI R/O VILL- KATALABARKUCHI P.O. MILANPUR DIST. NALBARI ASSAM PIN - 783001. -----------Advocate for : MR. S C KEYAL Advocate for : MR A DASGUPTA (R18 R10 R9 R21 R19 R20 R12 R3 R17 R14 R4 R16 R11 R25 R15 R8 R7 R23 R2 R22 R6 R5 R24) appearing for DEHNUR ALI (RUMIA BEGUM) AND 24 ORS.

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Linked Case : I.A.(Civil)/1254/2021

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AJMAT ALI AND 6 ORS.

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S/O LATE MAHIDDIN ALI R/O VILL- BARPANARA P.O. BIHDIA P.S. BAIHATA CHARIALI DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM

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PIN - 781381

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2: MD. NURUL HAQUE S/O MD. NUR MAHAMMAD R/O VILL- BALAJUGTALI P.O. DHUHI DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781101. 3: SHRI SOMNATH BORO S/O LATE KAMESWAR BORO R/O VILL- BARBHERA P.O. CHECHAPANI P.S. TAMULPUR DIST. BAKSA ASSAM PIN - 783006. 4: PRADIP KR. DAS S/O LATE NAKUL DAS R/O VILL- TELERA NAKUCHI P.O.JAMTOLA P.S. RANGIA DIST. KAMRUP ASSAM PIN - 781354 5: SHRI SUBODH BAISHYA S/O LATE SURENDRA NATH BAISHYA R/O VILL- MAROWA P.O. MAROWA P.S. NALBARI DIST.NALBARI ASSAM PIN - 783001 6: SHRI GANESH DUTTA S/O LATE MANOMOHAN DUTTA R/O VILL- DAHUDI P.O. AND P.S. SALMARA DIST. NALBARI ASSAM. PIN- 783001.

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7: SHRI BHOGIRATH MEDHI S/O LATE HATKANTA MEDHI

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R/O VILL- KASKURI P.O. BONGAIGAON P.S. SARTHEBARI DIST. BARPETA ASSAM 783006. VERSUS

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THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS. REP. BY THE SECY. TO THE GOVT. OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES SHRAM SHAKTI BHAWAN RAFI MARG NEW DELHI- 110001

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2:BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD

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REP. BY ITS CHAIRMAN

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BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29. 3:THE CHAIRMAN

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GUWAHATI -29. 4:OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE ENGINEER

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BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD ROING DIVISION REP. BY THE CHAIRMAN BRAHMAPUTRA BOARD BASISTHA GHY- 29

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-----------Advocate for : MR A DASGUPTA Advocate for : ASSTT.S.G.I. appearing for THE UNION OF INDIA AND 3 ORS.

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BEFORE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE SANJAY KUMAR MEDHI

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ORDER

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15-12-2021

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Heard Shri A. Das Gupta, learned Senior Counsel for the applicants/writ petitioners who have filed this application for a direction to comply with Section 17B of the Industrial Dispute Act,

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It is the case of the applicants/petitioners that the impugned Award dated 20.03.2018 by which reinstatement was directed in Reference Case No. 02/2015 passed by the learned Presiding Officer, Central Government Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court has been stayed by this Court.

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It is submitted that though there was a direction of this Court at the initial stage for payment of the wages last drawn, the said payment was stopped on the alleged ground that the petitioners were engaged in certain projects.

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Shri Das Gupta, learned Senior Counsel submits that though it is a fact that the applicants/petitioners were engaged in some projects, that was for a temporary duration and now they are without any source of income.

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Shri S.C. Keyal, learned Standing Counsel, Brahmaputra Board fairly submits that right under Section 17B, is a sacrosanct right which was incorporated in the Statute Book with the objective that during the period of litigation, the workman has to sustain and the only condition attached is that such workman should not be gainfully employed in other place during that period.

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Considering the facts & circumstances that the applicants / petitioners are not gainfully employed, there entitlement to the wages last drawn under Section 17B cannot be denied.

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The Hon’ble Supreme Court in a catena of decisions has held that the only obligation to be discharged by the workman is to file

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an affidavit stating about his non-employment. It is also a settled law that running some petty business would not disentitle such an workman from the last wages drawn as it is not expected that the workman is precluded from taking up any activities to generate the income to sustain.

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In view of the above, the Interlocutory Application accordingly stands disposed of by directing compliance of the provisions of Section 17B of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1947 by paying the wages last drawn.

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The period can be counted from the date of such disengagement of the applicants/petitioners from the new projects.

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JUDGE

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Comparing Assistant

Manoj Kumar Saloi and 5 Ors. v. the Union of India and 3 Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

Manoj Kumar Saloi and 5 Ors. v. the Union of India and 3 Ors.

Case brief

What is this about?

What did the court decide?

What the court decided

A compact analysis

Issues for consideration

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