Kerala High Court
K. Jayaraman vs Quilon Gas Service And Anr. on 7 March, 1995
Equivalent citations: [1995(70)FLR1028], (1995)IILLJ1150KER
JUDGMENT M.M. Pareed Pillay, C.J.
1. The appellant was an employee under the first respondent. First respondent challenged exhibit P-1 award of the Labour Court, Quilon, directing reinstatement of the appellant workman with 75 per cent. back-wages. The learned single judge allowed the original petition and set aside the order of the Labour Court to the extent of directing reinstatement. The main contention of the appellant is that the learned judge did not allow his petition (C.M.P. No. 15994 of 1990) filed under Section 17-B of the Industrial Disputes Act. The learned judge dismissed the petition without considering it on the merits.
2. As the learned judge had set aside the order of reinstatement of the appellant and as that has not been challenged by him, it has become final. With regard to the direction of the Labour Court that the appellant should be given 75 per cent. back-wages, there is no challenge by the first respondent.
3. The only question that arises for consideration is whether the appellant is entitled to the benefit under Section 17-B of the Act. In the affidavit filed in support of C.M.P. No. 15994 of 1990, the appellant has alleged that he has not been employed in any establishment and, therefore, he is entitled to the benefit of Section 17-B, his last drawn salary being Rs. 300 per month. In the counter-affidavit, the first respondent contended that the appellant is not entitled to get the benefits under Section 17-B as he owns two auto-rickshaws, KRQ-6436 and KLU-5111 and that he is employed in garment making unit owned by his wife. It is also stated that the appellant has substantial immovable properties.
4. For invoking Section 17-B of the Act, the following conditions should be satisfied:
"(1) there must be an award by the Labour Court or the Tribunal directing reinstatement of the workman:
(2) the award should have been challenged in a proceeding pending in the High Court or the Supreme Court; and (3) the workman should not have been gainfully employed in any establishment during the pendency of the said proceedings.
All the above conditions should be cumulatively established and only in such a case the workman would be entitled to claim benefits under Section 17-B.
5. The objects and reasons for enacting Section 17-B are as follows:
"When the Labour Courts pass awards of reinstatement, these are often contested by an employer in the Supreme Court and the High Courts. It was felt that the delay in implementation of the award causes hardship to the workman concerned. It was, therefore, proposed to provide the payment of wages last drawn by the workman concerned, under certain conditions, from the date of the award till the case is finally decided in the Supreme Court or the High Courts."
6. The objects and reasons in a statute should be given its due importance. The court cannot turn a Nelson's eye towards it Thus, in a particular case where there is no evidence to hold that the workman is not entitled to Section 17-B benefit, whereas the averments in his affidavit disclose the fact that the cumulative conditions under the section are really there, it has necessarily to be held that he is entitled to the benefit.
7. Hie proviso to Section 17-B postulates satisfaction of the High Court or the Supreme Court that the workman was employed and was receiving adequate remuneration during the period or part thereof of the proceedings pending before the High Court or the Supreme Court, From the proviso, it can be discerned that benefits under Section 17-B can be denied only if he had been employed and had been receiving adequate remuneration during the relevant period. Receipt of any remuneration would not be sufficient to deny the benefit. There must be evidence of adequate remuneration being received by the workman while employed under any establishment.
8. The question whether a workman running a tea shop and earning income would be entitled to the benefits under Section 17-B was considered in Hindustan Machine Tools Ltd. v. Labour Court (1992-1-LLJ-494), where the Rajasthan, High Court held that to disentitle a workman the benefit of Section 17-B, it should be established that he was employed under an establishment and mere carrying on an activity to make both ends meet will not deprive him of the benefit. The workman who was engaged in any activity or in some avocation to eke out a livelihood, so long as it is not employment under any establishment cannot be denied of me benefit. To deny the benefit, it must certainly be established that he was gainfully employed in some establishment during the pendecny of the proceedings before the High Court or the Supreme Court and during that period he was receiving adequate remuneration.
9. Despite the counter-affidavit, there is no acceptable evidence to hold that the appellant was employed in the garment making unit of his wife. Assuming that he was so employed there is hardly any evidence with regard to the adequacy of the remuneration which he had obtained from that concern. Even if it is assumed that the appellant was getting some income from auto-rickshaws as alleged in the counter-affidavit, it would not be sufficient to hold that the proviso to Section 17-B is attracted.
10. The original petition was filed on December 11, 1989, and it was admitted to file on December 12, 1989. The judgment in the original petition was pronounced on November 16, 1990. The appellant is entitled to get Rs.3,300 being the benefit under Section 17-B for 11 months.
11. As the Labour Court's order of payment of 75 per cent. backwages has not been challenged by the first respondent it is needless to say that it is open to the appellant to make necessary application under Section 33-C of the Act before the Labour Court.
12. The writ appeal is allowed with no order as to costs.