Kerala High Court
N. Omanakuttan vs Bharath Sanchar Nigam Limited, ... on 15 September, 2022
Author: Amit Rawal
Bench: Amit Rawal
WP(C) No.23234/2022 1/6
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM
PRESENT
THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT RAWAL
Thursday, the 15th day of September 2022 / 24th Bhadra, 1944
WP(C) NO. 23234 OF 2022(D)
PETITIONERS:
1. N. OMANAKUTTAN, AGED 52 YEARS, S/O.NEELAKANDAN, LEKSHMI BHAVANAM,
PUTHUKKADU P.O, CHAVARA, KOLLAM, PIN - 691 585
2. GOPAKUMAR. G, AGED 38 YEARS, S/O.GOPINADHAN PILLAI, KANNAMKODE
VEEDU, CHERIYELA, AALUMMOODU P.O, KOLLAM, PIN - 691 577
3. SYAMLAL. K, AGED 37 YEARS, S/O.KARUNANKARAN, SHASHANKAVILASAM,
THEKKEVILA P.O, KOLLAM, PIN-691577.
4. SHIVANKUTTI K, AGED 45 YEARS, S/O. KUTTAPPAN, VALIYATHARA
PADINJATTATHIL, KOYIVILA P.O, KOLLAM, PIN-691590
5. SASI A, AGED 41 YEARS, S/O AYYAPPAN KALEELIL VEEDU, KOVOOR
ARINALLOOR P.O, KOLLAM, PIN - 690538
6. JOSMON P, AGED 38 YEARS, S/O PHILIPOSE, JOJO BHAVANAM, THODIYOOR
NORTH P.O, KARUNAGAPPALLY, KOLLAM, PIN - 690538
7. SAJEEV K.R, AGED 44 YEARS, S/O.RAVI V, KALAMPOTTIVILA THEKKATHIL,
PUTHANAMBALAM P.O, IVARKALA WEST, NORTH KOLLAM, PIN - 688527
8. JAYAKUMAR K.S, AGED 41 YEARS, S/O SURENDRAN PILLAI KALLUVILA
VEEDU, MAAVADI P.O KOLLAM, PIN - 685553
9. PRAMOD, AGED 31 YEARS, S/O.PRABHAKARAN, KOTTAMKARA MELATHIL,
KUNNATHOOR P.O, KOLLAM, PIN - 690540
10. RAJASHEKARAN.C, AGED 44 YEARS, S/O CHELLAPPAN PILLAI, PADANADATHIL
VEEDU, VADAKKEVILA P.O, MANAKKADU NAGAR-94, KOLLAM, PIN - 690101
11. SUNDARESAN PILLAI, AGED 54 YEARS, CHITHANYA, BHOOTHAKKULM, PO
PARAVOOR, KOLLAM, PIN - 691302
12. ARUN BABU S, AGED 28 YEARS, S/O SURESHBABU CHANDIKALAYAM, MURUTHAL,
PERINADU PO, KOLLAM, PIN - 691601
13. JAYESH S, AGED 38 YEARS, S/O. SATHYANESAN PILLAI BUNGLAVIL
PUTHENVEEDU, KARAMANA MUKHATHALA PO KOLLAM, PIN - 691577
14. SURESH KUMAR P, AGED 47 YEARS, S/O PADMANABHAN PILLAI SARASWATHY
BHAVAN CHERIYELA ALUMMOODU PO, KOLLAM, PIN - 691577
15. MANOJ KUMAR OS, S/O SIVADASAN E THITTAYIL VEEDU, THEKKEVILA
POTHEKKENAGAR, KOLLAM, PIN - 691016
16. MANOJ M, AGED 27 YEARS, S/O MANIKANDAN ACHARI, MANEESH BHAVAN,
VETTILATHAZHAM, DECENT JN PO, KOLLAM, PIN - 691577
17. SUBI, AGED 34 YEARS, S/O PV SURENDRAN SUBI MANDIRAM ,EDUVANASSERI
MYNAGAPPALLY.KOLLAM, PIN - 690519
18. SANESH, S/O.SUNDARESAN, AGED 34 YEARS, THODUVAYAL EDAVANASSERIL,
MYNAGAPPALLY, PIN - 690519
19. SANALKUMAR, AGED 41 YEARS, KRISHNANKUTY, PANAMOATTY PORUVAZHI PO
SASTHAMKOTTA, PIN - 690520
20. ATHEESH A, S/O ASHOKKUMAR, ATHEESBHAVANAM, THEKKEVILA PO KOLLAM, PIN
- 691016
21. SHAJI P, S/O PRABHAKARAN PRABHA, KOTTAPPURAM ELAMPAZHANNUUR PO
KOLLAM, PIN - 691534
22. REJI JACOB, AGED 38 YEARS, S/O PY JACOB PUTHENVILA VEEDU,
WP(C) No.23234/2022 2/6
KARIMPALOOR PO PATHANAPURAM, KOLLAM DISTRICT, PIN - 689695
23. SANTHOSH S, S/O SADASIVAN KIZHAKKUMKARA PUTHEN VEEDU, KALAYAPURAM
KOLLAYIL, PO KOLLAM DISTRICT, PIN - 691560
24. BIJU P, S/O PURUSHOTHAMAN PILLAI BAIJU VILASAM, KANNAMCODE, KUMMIL
PO, KADAKKAL, KOLLAM, PIN - 691536
25. RAKESH BS, S/O BAHULEYAN PILLAI USHAS, MARTHANDANKARA EZHAMKULAM PO
KOLLAM, PIN - 691312
26. MANOJ S KURUP, AGED 44 YEARS, S/O SURENDRAN PILLAI THIRUVATHIRA,
KADAMPATTUKONAM PARIPPALY PO KOLLAM, PIN - 691574
27. JAYALAL G, S/O GOPALAN M ROADVILA PUTHENVEEDU CHERUVAKKAL PO AYOOR
KOLLAM, PIN - 691530
28. WILSON.B, KANAVIL HOUSE POOYAPPALLY PO KOLLAM, PIN - 691537
29. SANTHOSHKUMAR, S/O GOPALAPILLAI NEERANJANAM EDANADU PO KOLLAM, PIN -
691 575
30. MOHAN N, S/O NANU LEKSHMI NIVAS, CHAMAVILA, KARUMANDAL B PARAVOOR
PO KOLLAM, PIN - 691301
31. V ABRAHAM, S/O VELUSAMY POOTHETHAM, KALTHURUTTI PO THENMALA, PIN -
691309
RESPONDENTS:
1. BHARATH SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED, REPRESENTED BY CHIEF MANAGER OFFICE
OF THE CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER, TELECOM, KERALA CIRCLE,
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, PIN - 695 033
2. THE PRINCIPAL MANAGER TELECOM, THE GENERAL MANAGER, BSNL,
VELLAYATTAMBALAM, KOLLAM, PIN - 691 012
3. THE ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER TELECOM, BSNL, VELLAYATTAMBALAM,
KOLLAM, PIN - 691 012
4. ADDL.R4: IIMS DETECTIVES (P) LTD, IIMS DETECTIVE TOWER. KP ROAD
MOONAMKUTTY PULLIKANANNKU PO KAYAMKULAM, KERALA PIN - 690537 ADDL.R4
IS IMPLEADED AS PER ORDER DATED 20.07.2022 IN IA 1/2022 IN WPC NO.
23234/2022.
Writ petition (civil) praying inter alia that in the circumstances
stated in the affidavit filed along with the WP(C) the High Court be
pleased to
1. To direct the 1 to 3 Respondents to disburse salary and other
monitory benefits due to the petitioners and also permit them to continue
in service till final disposal of the Writ Petition.
2. To permit the Petitioner's to continue in service till the
attainment of the of minimum pension period in which they already
included.
3. To regularise the service of the petitioners on humanitarian
grounds and the work rendered by them till.
4. To grant such other relief prayed for by writ petitioners from
time to time and found to be fit and proper to grant by this Honourable
Court.
WP(C) No.23234/2022 3/6
This petition coming on for orders upon perusing the petition and
the affidavit filed in support of WP(C) and upon hearing the arguments of
M/S.C.R.SIVAKUMAR, MINI.M.NAIR & BINI.K, Advocates for the petitioners,
SRI.SAJI VARGHESE, STANDING COUNSEL for R1 to R3 and of
SMT.C.B.BHAGYALEKSHMI, Advocate for ADDL R4, the court passed the
following:
WP(C) No.23234/2022 4/6
AMIT RAWAL, J.
=================
W.P.(C) No.23234 of 2022
=====================
Dated this the 15th day of September, 2022
ORDER
Petitioners, 31 in number, who are the contract employees under the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act have approached this Court with a prayer that not only there is a threat of removal by employing the other workers but also non payment of the dues of the month of February, March, April, May, June, July, August and in this regard have already made a representation dated 5.7.2022, Ext.P4. It is not the case of the respondent, BSNL that there is no work, which fact is evident from the E-tenders Ext.1 and 2 for 2021-22 and 2022-23.
2. Counsel representing the BSNL submits that they are not making a default in the payment because it is the duty of the contractor to submit the bills though the bills up to July 2022 have been submitted and BSNL is preparing to release the salary in installments keeping in view the financial crisis being faced in deferred mode.
Counsel for the contractor submits that the regular bills would be submitted henceforth. Considering the consensus arrived at the Court, there will be a direction to the BSNL to release the payment to the contractor, wherever the contractor has submitted the bills, in two installments commencing from 22 nd of September WP(C) No.23234/2022 5/6 W.P.(C) No. 23234 OF 2022 2 2022 and the contractor thereafter would immediately release the amount to the petitioners and other affected workers against a valid receipt .
Post on 2.11.2022. It is made clear that in case the direction is not complied with within the time, this Court may not be constrained to take stringent measures in accordance with law.
Sd/-
sab AMIT RAWAL, JUDGE
sa/131219sassssabs10.
15-09-2022 /True Copy/ Assistant Registrar
WP(C) No.23234/2022 6/6
APPENDIX OF WP(C) 23234/2022
Exhibit1 THE TRUE COPY OF THE E-TENDER IN 2021 -22
Exhibit2 THE TRUE COPY OF THE E TENDER IN 2022 -23
Exhibit4 THE TRUE COPY OF THE REPRESENTATION DATED 05/07/2022