Sri P N Munirathnam vs The State Of Karnataka on 24 April, 2009

31

years in our country with dignity and discipline 3.353 U

had a cordial relationship with the rr:2§1age1ne:a*E**ari€l~.,

the Gevenlrslent and has pretected t’lia,§ iz1ft_§=,-i:*%i:::V.tll§f * V V

employees and all the Corporatiqns,

On the basis of the V}
Govemznent of I§arnatal:.;;§’~;.n file .._<:sf_itl3§ "?01iéyll

f Participation ofthe Etrxplojfeéé *ihe_.
ofthe Corpera.§is3£}:”‘;. it isgzé –(fr€3m; .1977) the
ex KER aI1:¢i~tl1:2< 3._fi(1:;El€4."l:1l'.l§H*».;:llT§,:" Supply

Comgléanifcfi " * (vf3l?l$l;:l§lx:l,;' } CHESCOM,
c;Esc:::m ma –IV§IZl~§.lS;'_'~Z'.,V_(llIIvl'»s-:{_:','ll'–~l§?1.§l1?::"=: centinized the ofiice
bearers ':*eg§resegitingA._v Employees Llnion as

and it '~i..~;fl§eicc§n2e. In the elections held in the

bl . Tzéyéargy eefiega: Body Meeting of the KPTCL
l ;gmp:¢§€g¢sh¢;a in Bmzgal-are on ',26.8.20{}8 and
l' P.G.Am:minabhavi has been elected as

the meeting of the Carafrai Executiw

.. Qenuii-itltee menzlaerg newly elected held utzcie-1* the

x_ * .?r§side:1isl3i;3 ef the Sri F.GA1tm1i11abhav§, newly
6166163 Presisrient 011 23.820089 has uixaaninmtisl};

l ale-cied Senier Hzetnbey Sri M.Nagaraju as the werking

President. In this direction in the C€§.{!°i1§ Exzxufive
Committee Meetizag helé an 6.11.2308, an the policy

32

of pafiicipafion of Employees in the ;_tdmi1_1is1r;itié:1,’* 1:” . ‘

the nxwting has unanimousiy pennittedfio 4’ ‘

Senior member of this ‘{}nion and presémly ”
working President Sri hvi.Nagaraju–v..;§S”V.ihe E”}i:’e¢tcrA
the KPTCL and Bangalore, Gu1ba;+ga;A’»z\;1anga1ore

Chamundeshwari EIectriéit§{..V:%”S1;pAgpIy;V:_ and
the Hon.P.G.Ammjnabhav§,_ H th_§’: _ —the
KPTCL En1ployee§. U_11ioni§s 1;§¢’V.Dir§¢£é;f~.qf age Hubii
Electricity regaxd

unanixnoizs reseigiiitéyhas

Hence?’ h to appoirst Sri
M.Nagara3’u= ?£::side;}I of the KPTCL
Empigraejs Union Aiafithe Diréctor «of Karnataka Power

V’ _Tra;£$s§ti1is;$££}3;vM. AC0rp 0)mti0n Limited, the Bangalore

Company, Mangaiare Eiecirieity

Cc§f;;¥an$§;”Chax11undeshwm1 Electricity Suppiy

C0nipan’g’z2.*§d}<i'~»'{}111ba1ga Electricity Suppiy Company

_ x A and Sri"?.C§~.Anuninabhavi, the Presiéent efthe K?TC
A ..f ainf}is::y'ees and the Directs? effinbii Electrieity Suppiy

_. C.g)2i1pzm};.

33

The copy of the reseiution tif:e?.V:C .é%2tr :§ H
Exeautive Cozzmxfiitee %\zi.e::-tizzg is féV1?1£:§£>s;é;d jgerzzf a

kind perusal.”

16. This was followedfb3r_ a.._}1nai.1’iinm2_s résoiutim of the
Union dated 11.1″£;.’.V’.. ‘()fl.8″– send proposal to the
G()Vef11¥!E6I1’§”1<}. appdifit' the Director 0f the

L we;1<:g;;;-Vé;Px§.%zx;%§;;=;oa.sa;zg Daie:§ 1.: 1.29%.
é
' _ RESOLD'TION

Tiiéfiierztral Executive Committee Evieeiing cf
~_Kamata3<a Fewer Trmasmissien Corpmatien
Emfiibyee Unien newiy elected in the 17"' 'Fri Yeariy
' -Genera; Bed}? Meeting heid an 6.11.2308, it was
3 urzarliaiousiy resolved} to sené a prcposai tea the
Gcxvemmem of Kamaiaka, that on the poiicy ef
Fariicipatiexz of Empisyees in the iidxzmfisixatieil, ta
appeirai the Seniar Ivietnber of this Uniozl and the
present working President Sri M.?<€agaraj'u as the

$2

34

Director of KPTCL, Bangaiore, Gulbarga, V V
and Chamundeshwari Eieciricity Supfily (::’on1;$a:1ies-
and Sri P.G~.AmInéna.bhavi “the Pr¢sideI1{9f’*§31é KI’TC . 2 % T

Employees Utliflii, as the effihg .I_i’i3?.)ii
Electrieity Supply C-mnpany.” ‘ ‘ ” AT ”

I7. Aciing on the said ‘gjeseiutieil,
the State Government .t§$fiQ1;dent as the
Director of the “tree that the State
Govemrnent for appointing
the 7:” respot;i:ieI}f–a§ fhat. by itseif caxmot be a

$03115 10 _=*.;uasi1 _:app<$i11ti11efxt: The Court must exercise its

'§iisére1joi:3;i'§; ipmvezj with gteat camiim and sheuld exercise it in

cf and not maria-132 on the making cut {if a

""'i:«ga1 pbifii. as cextiorari is ciiseretie-nary. 1: is not issued

" ikiréifééy bgeca¥;3:';.éA:'it is lawful to do.» 343. ($ee»CIL4,AIR4LAL KIN:-4N1

COMMISSIONER cu?' 1iNC'0A=iE TAX, WEST

5E?."Nd'AL & 03:33:23 -413 1979 SC (:45). The cm: shouid

" "always keep the mrger pubiic ifiterest in mind in erder ta deaéée

E
2%:

x

making out of a legal point. The Court shelligi a1iv:iifs”*~:”‘ i

keep the larger public interest in :6…’ 4′

decide wheflier its intervention is ca3ied’—fairer ” i’

Onlv when it comes to 3 éicnclusiont ‘ tizai
overwhehriing public interest requigfes iizterfeijencéi ‘the,
Court should intervene.” V V’ A 9 vi _ ii
(:111A;ie:lirzir.:gV_i;;f:’i3},zVtii¢:) hi 9
:3. In M ;*10;w::a;;L iiiavgigvzgszma T2;w’2)e:§TRIEs* um.
15′. STATE 0;?i’1mg};4g§T};%:;gi;N ;”:iif\iij €¥i*-HE;5€S M AIR .2990 SC

469. the Apex:”‘C0″ui_’i arrived at: in 1316
course of Conciliiéitiqii -p§i§difigiiii~~’i’witi3 a recegnized znajerity
1;:iic$%.f”‘*ii§’:§:3»%: 0£§”‘al!….xa%r;rkn1e:2 ofthe establishniesai, ever:

—minority union which had abjected t9 the

i I{‘cf;£5g1i2.eé”iii:ir:¥n having fniij-Ofifg.’ Of members is expeaszteé

” iirgtect thef ii ‘ifrgitiznate imerest of 13.230121″ and enter inn} 3

the best iatexesi cf iabour. This is with the abject is

H ihe Samttiiy ofsetilenleni reached with the active assistance:

zzrf jibe Ccnciliatien Officer and 10 diseeurage am indiviéuai

S empleyee or mitwritfg Llfiiei} ff’€}E’¥} scutiiing the settieiiient. ‘fifhez; a

37

settlement is arrived at (‘luring the cunci3iatioa1.proccedi11’g”s; it biigzdét .

on the members of the Workers* Unio1i”a’as1 iai:d Ei»r.>\’.5’s«*13_..” 1″

Sec.18(3){d) of the Act. It wouki itpséttffictg bifid

workmen who are ail parties to it1dqm*§:a:I’LvdiSp:3te.. is
an the principle of collective industrial
disgutes and for maitxtatning tztrtinézipie; Qf
industrial demoerapy ‘

in the represents as
many as ” Anét in dispute» No other

empmryee excepttxthg pet§tio_:1é.2-r_s” 113% protested for reconmzending

_’?m «apgreintment as the Director of the

Cfimpafiiéa» _ ;”‘t.’£}nion has assigned cegemz reasons tier

‘ Vt ‘-..\’V.;feco:31:.ms:iiding ‘j_:1zt’:ne of the ‘?’i’ respondent as the }}irs=:ct.c>r cf

.§3mI1pax2i§s«;_at1d acting on the said recmnmenéation ef the

‘j State Government has appesintad him as the Digectcar :3?

H V’ titéttfiétmpaaaies, which cannot be feeuzad féuit with 2>§;t§1és tfourt.

S

,1

19. Sri gm. Patii, ieamed Counsel» ‘a1:§;~e=gz1~i1§4’g “‘1″4§,§V’.’;,1;f?.1V€’

petitioners Submits that the State C§<}\?61'I}}"!'i£?I$»3;' }1£i::.¥;_ATI'i($i iigg 7

mind while appc:-inting the 7%' respondefit The DAife-a:__toi' .9f £1:xé

companies. By appointing the '?*V}':-'r:§'spong1«e:1:i..é,f; fi}ire§ibr:,~ is
admittedly got a workman, the 43-A has
been defeated. In thig Counsel
has relied on me if' 1

(s) 3-;i$0WER (:0. L112). &
OTHERS 1&1; j.~”” AIR 1958 SC ass;

(ii) A;H1i.;:; 311Am:*;;1::4 SGSHITH mxmcmni

Tsfiéwr;:1;?: mafow €)14*1*;*u)L4 « AIR 1 931 SC 293;

“{§.§_i)’A§%i4}f’;I€?§¥i%§L:..T1Z¥3’ILE WORKERS’S UzVIO:V’e£c. vs.

L V ‘RRR}ifi@§4KR£Sf;§§€’§¢N’& OTHERS –AIR 1933 SC ‘:5;

‘ A (iv) 2:11;; I§V.?)L«i BANK OFFICERS’ CONFEQEE4 TION

4% Q i2;VIO.N 013′ INDIA & OTHERS’ W AIR 1989 SC 2345;

ff %T (v) Kvamzz S’HRILEKHA VIDYARTIII& OTHERS vs.

” ‘§f24TE 01%’ 1:312 & 0’1″§:fER.S’- (1991; 1 Sec 212; and

3

39

(vi) AIR INDIA STATUTORY C0RR§1-mrigy g_m%[%:%.«:s:%%j

CKNWED LABOUR UNYQN & OTIIERS.

20. In K. S11REER4IHzza4_o’s 1953 aS1c¥x553§),,
the Apex Caurt has érawn a M
’empleyees’ and The
expression ‘e111p¥eyc=’;é ‘ all persons,
male: or fem:aaié;”T’ ” Cifiice, Maixzs
Departnlent, SV’:£V£3zfe;:’§,.’_ ffiéceixfing Station cf the
Company, tsLt”‘” ‘Wc;>ri<;n1e11' denetes 3
Sffliiifitfi 3:112}? Evéaiegories of employees as have been

éxgfzd who magi have a ticket. It is held that

'-s.;:3.2:;h a " dearly fiatelligible in an industriai
_jjj..€_?:5a,!;$iié3»h1nen"£, for security' and Othei' reasans a system of
4: is necmsary far these who wri<: in the Pawer
V. Maths Department err other glaces where essential
is installed whiie others, such as the cieriea! Staff. may

Werk in an office buikijng Where secufity demands are either non»

n._

40

existent or much less insistent. This distinction means thai. ‘

‘workznet1′ are ’employees’, but 311 ’employees_’, are not ‘f\§i?dfk1nén’ 4′

fer the purpose of standing orders. This decisim u A

the cmltentions of the petitioners. In th£:’»;T11féf:;.g2;1It cj9A.S;*T._ne~

‘?”” respondent is an Ofiicer. He .m_ay not Hut h¢AAisH;§I1
employeefworker in the establisiiifiéiyti ‘it, is say that

worrkers include not only Vbi3t’§Isn_’Gt§t§e§ e1i:p§;)f«§ees. There

is no prohibi{vi{§1i’VTVéiih;;}:v ii1′ ;i’4tJ¥1a?_’:’:«’*..IVf:’fi£.’It:£%’:26?VAsseciatien of the
catnpaxiies or ififlértécié Csiynstimiien far appoijxtme-2:1

of a worker 3&1 the r*’?4’I’5’i*£’i$V%11ta5é;i\r锣>f workznen as the Qirecior of

€115 2 ._
2}: ~12: JBHARATIIKZ-4 SGSHIE” KARAMCHARI

“–‘§ casex SC’ 293), the Apex Couzt has held that

“v: ;:};ough the’.44i§i§e”é§ivéigfincipies are not enferize-abie by Ceurts, ii

i *§i§§eé’..:ia0At ‘ti:e.anV’i11at directive principles are less important than

riglts 01′ that they are net binding an ihe va.rius

Vt V . __§z”g;§:I:1§{§f the Staie. It hag been further held that Artide 3’? Offikfl

;

?

:5;

41

Constitution emphaticaiiy states that directive %

nevertheiess fm1damemaI in the goverrxance the” ‘c;-a.§31’:’itr}*’i’a31:<_.i: 'itu 'V

31131! be the duty of the State to apply these pV§'1'a.*-.1,;:*-:i'p.¥:2.*.s: i12T.§1é;zi'§i:1g° V

laws. The éirective principies should Ceurfs' 3.V:_§§2T:;j..'§:;\«;ie. :;:1»1i'W

izaterpreiation. Fuzxéamentaj rig§1ts: s.".1_0uIc§ 'in {he
light of the directive principles and §hmz§ <i and

wherever possfble, be :e'a§é;.ji§'i'£o the foInier§"'F:ir<éi*§* viaté attacked an

the gronnd of 'Qf.a igigilt shozzid, among
ether cea11siéra1'.V%a13£.i_01'1$':,_ :out if the law éoes net
advance em: or 0i§7Ia':é1j%%<;;f' épriixcipies C?!" if it is not in
d§$uvhfi.1fg$ é§%£'ifi9f .i,1nd<;;ubted obligatierris of the State,

cmis'-igimiiéziai :2; Véythaarixiise, towards its ciiizens £1?!' sections sf its

,_AA'¢i1izens,"fl§:w'ingV 'Qi:}vj.':.dfVih3 preanible, the direetive princigles and

mine': pr0vis§::mS"'0f fife Cemstitution.

'.31; '2x:g2*I§:2;~:4.L TEXTILE WORKERS' :m().i\rs case

:$'C 75)? the Apex Court has reiterated what has been

smrin AKHILA 31L41a4T13:4 305312' K;4.RA;}ICI£4RI

s case (slxgra). The Apex (fear: has heid that the vmriiers

3.

_;

3%
‘-A

«’3.

. . ‘iv-“~””

43

heid that the object of Section 9 is to empower the Cenuafi

Gewernrnent ta make 3 schelne fer the constitution of the BQ2gfi:i”e–f’_* ~. ‘ ‘

Directors so as to ixwiude represefitatives of the t?3’I1§§l_Cfy”:3t3§§:”~?1I1!§.: «

other specified categeries. The represe11tative§s_ of’:ihs.=.jS.7e categories”

:31′ peopie are 10 be eiilarzr eiected er .iiQ!T_§1}Ti1aiE.;d_ ii; fi1eT.2″n2gf;z§;:~zuj
specified by the Scheme. The legislature ii3s._le§iV it i0″ih.eT_Ce:1tfai
G0vertm1e1It in make a schetne Vprévidizéfg a;1g;0’i’fitsnez2i is the

Beard from ‘ by eies’:-lion or
by no11}i11a£i0:1. T}1%: irfide sf appasintment is, 1::-f
ceurse, lefi my (:é11?r§?.i but it is mt an uzzresirained
§i,A a discretian which must be

reas “€:0::1j:3::*2eratial emerprise’

In the esent case also, the 7″‘ yes fiiifiiif ha §§bé%fift~ L.

unaninlousiy chosen by the Union for appoi1:;f3neI’:£’ as {fie f)i*r:.{-::tz>;’V ‘V

80 that there can be an effective paxiicipaiiogz éfthéz w0ri.<;.£'<3r§:é in " .

'file management of ihe Companies. "110 preliibiiifinv-:ibz:'§}1e

7*' responcient to be appointeai ' 1. fl _ .. _

22. In KL-“MARI SHRILE ‘1’{A. VImig1Rr;;*1j¢eJ}oTH.a:Rs*=s

case {(1991) 1′ sec 212} ;”the Aggéifi t§;¥,xa~5i;”e:ver3,> State

action, in ordver ts _$iiI*;?fi?f<:: "1':111°:_:=1_i1"L*',~t_'l.':e mzsceptibie is the vice of

a,rbi'£ra..riness Wfi§C§h is the –~;§=:»ic1e E4 and basic is the rule of
13%: the systern V'w}_V3icl1 gQ\?e:y1'snj:;'s, {lenferment of the power

tqgether the éis¢fei.i<§n which gases with it to enabie propeg
:é:»zgr¢i'se.§f"§?1e;"' coupled with the {int}: 10 ghun a.rbit1'a2*i_r:es5:

in i'£sL"'s;2_~;ez*ig:is:«:*"shd'ieV.ip:'bmote file object {hr which the power is

4,,,,,r;:onferre£1;–..w}1i§:}2~wafizidubiediy is public imetrest and 119% individual

-. §2sr.._;§:%ivate ga”.§;tV1,_ 1~whim er caprice of 323}? i:2div£éz,2a£. All persons

‘1.”‘e;it:r§_’st¢d’ i:>s*i1:i1 any such power have is bear in mind its ziaeeessargs

E

46

brought by 42*” Constitsstian (Amenfiment) 9 1 976_.IJ§5s§n.” _

the State to secure by suitable legisiatien ovfiin :;i.rr3: :V()fl1:’G3_” wziy, Tr ‘

paflicipation of Workers in the r11.;magen1em’v. 0?

establéshmems or other 0rgani$ation engégszd ‘§_I_l To
make these rights meaningfixi £6.w§%ori{1ne1%§’:g1i£i’–i§1a:é¥j;éngfi;} gighi to
life a re-a.iity to werkmen, shifg.0;)?’ju¥;1ici3.1,e;fié:ita1i§:x” iéem private

Iaw principles :0 p:_zb.¥ic izxtérgirefiatiqxx fusing the

interegt ofthe_i;}dividii:1i’.:g;;tfe.pf£r:1§¥1fir paxamaunt interest of

the commufi;§ty.~. TheV}Lv§§is:iaE_fi1:;éti0i:’0i’ a Court, thereforei. in

interpreting the ‘€54<_)I:.5*tit1it:'-Qfi épmvisions eafthe Act. requéses

to bufid u;.;§c3nti11uitjg» elf '${}Ci0—E:C0z}023}iC erupawerment to the poor

{Q $i1s*uai :i oppeflunity and status an-:i the £39.; shouid

ceii'.?té1:2'£;1j«'V "ihje~._fieeds and espiraiicm of {he S{}Ci€'1_\/' in

""V'estab3iéh–§;_V1g sc%a.1 erder. Th6:-refore, the com:-epés

agigrafied if} the statuie require inierpremiicm frem thai

without doing vielence is the ianguagas-., Sash an

wouié eiezagaie the spirit ami p’.§1’§)OS£’ csf the

“V ‘ ~__ Céaisiimiiaa ané fllaifilé the afrsresaié rights :9 the worr}<_me2'2 3, reaiiijgs

3}}

47

lest estabiisinnent ofan egalitarian social §rder;%:m:1dTTbei’g:s:xj4:x::;..gA5

and Constitutionai goai defeated.

In the present case,” .l.§gIe1n;>ras;V-xéli;:2x”‘*»:m;i_° and
Articies sf Assceciation sf Articles 30(1)a{a)
and 74-A empo\§?cz§fjg:~ gxonxinate the

Directors _t’h_e’:’ app0intment of the 73′
respendezfit, a ihe Uxxiorn is 91113: to fulfii

the censtitiiiiprsai gegi.’ 7 .. . j

” A atifiiiiivagly angle, the impugaeci order daes net

i:a;Ii«.?”_€’r3f ‘%nf£e:iL’r’a.n¢a. There is me merit in these writ petitiotxs.

are dismissed. This order shouid net be

: as expsressing any opinion an the vafidity cf

Vagaspofiitxnent of 7″‘ respondent as the workmg ?resiéen’t :33?’ the

The said quesfian has is be kcided in the suit

O.S.Ne.7982/$309 flied by the petitioners hereiifiaéiaiath 53

bef-are the Civii Court. No costs.

BMM:”2;442009