High Court Karnataka High Court

Bangalore Metropolitan vs The Deputy Labour Commissioner on 2 February, 2010

Karnataka High Court
Bangalore Metropolitan vs The Deputy Labour Commissioner on 2 February, 2010
Author: Ram Mohan Reddy
IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA. BANGAEGREA

DATED TI-IIS THE 2% DAY 01? FEBRUA:RgY. 2:Of.iI'oT  *

THE HON'BLE MR.JUsT1cE  

WRIT PETITION No.V15S2'3 C) ;"'3'V:2.('}()8'»'v_:(IuQ---..:VI"{')'  
BETWEEN . ' A' '

BANGALORE MI3"i'ROI-'OI.i"i';'XN   
TRANSPORT CORVP0RA'1i10_N  '
CENTRAL ow-*1c:.;:'12.._   _   
K.H.ROAI),    "   
BY ITS C1«i1EI* '1'EAEE--;c' MANN; H»

RE:PRES'EN'i*£%:i}'). §3\?'ii:gj1's   _
CI--IIEI' =.:,A\2+q.c_)1%*r=>";{3.1§;N K  1{ ~ .  _ -- . . . .1-->1-£'I'I'I'IONER

(BY sivrrf H, N.T12I'«:NUKA.  

AN 1'?) ; ' "

 "1 2 . V' '*1'1~s1:«i"'%{)r.<:uiv~: ETY LABOUR

 "1i:R"EfT1«-§:EI1~: PAYE\/1I:'.NTOF GRATUITY ACT

"-E3AN_CiAEL.OI5{i%2. RPZGIONTI
KARMIKA B1-~u\w'AN. E.(;.RoA:J
13A_N§:;A_1_.oN__1«:

 .,_'I;}f--'IIf. ASSIS'I'.AN'I' LA!-SOUR COMMISSIONER

AN D CON'f'ROI_.I,IN(} AU'I'I---IORITY
UNDER TH E PAY1\/EI€N'1'OI' GRA"E"UI'I'Y' ACT
DIVISION 11.
I.3ANNERGH'.A'YI'A ROAD.
EANGA1,oR£«: 560 076 WK
EX.



3 . HAN U I\/iAN"I'H.ARj\YA.I-3PA
S / O LATE HAN U MAIAE TI
"I'A\/'ARI€KERI£ V I LLAG E
I:{Ul..U\/ANAI'"'IALLI POST
NELAMANGALA 'E'ALU K

BANGALORE if)ES'E'RIC'I'  ...Ia;a3§QNm%:Ni;'s0'  

{BY SR1 JAGADESI--I MUNEDARAGI. 1---1,-FQI-i'Ri .&'=9.';'   7

SMT S.}3.LAKSI---IME. ADV. FOR R3}  

W15 1'>I::*:"m01\1 FEI,I33{.) UN_;j~L:_R ART{jCI-'Ij3S.:226V"&' 227
OF Ti--IE cowsrrmmow OF INDIA _PRAY'1-Ncwro VQUASH
THE: ORIJIERS mi 27.032008 _u~.-NN1Ia:x~1gz2E:wG)-PASSED BY
"rm: FIRST RISSPONi)F:NfI"'AND.' I'§'I_'C§' ,_ , 

GROUP THIS 1)/\Y;'~'1f;---115 Pig' Ix/£203.13 '1';-1 £5: I-'OLLOWING:

THIS PE"E'I'I'ION COMING (SN ?;i"o.m'3i':%;I;.I-?££;ARING IN 'I-3'

In " jc:.1" VVprmjreezti-i17ig;;.___"'bé'i"<)re the Asst. Labour

Cc)r1m1'isasji01'1e1~ Aarxi <%'m*1r4r011i11g A1..1t.h()rity under the

  Act' I972. i1'1s1:m11r3d by the

f<-3sp"or10defit{w'z51fk'r11a11'1 for ci<ir'u?.1*n1ination of ggra1'ui"{y. an

V _ appi.'i'«::a{*.i.__(i£1~10 zmmnd the claim peiition was filed by the

it-;:%p0(_')r1dVE.'I'.1.t--wo1'km2111 ml 9.10.2007 1,0 whicfh th<:'

_ -_p"C1ii't1i():ne1'. 2'-1r1'2.1ig11c?(i as a pa1r1.yv;'esp<,)11de11:i did not fiie

 srja13em€r11 of 0bhje(.'Iions. '1'E°1e C(.)1T}l"{]iSSi()I](:'Z" for Labour

aIi()We(.i the said app1i('a'{1'<)r1 in the final Order dig

30.10.2007 A1'11'1(:x:...:r(.:-E a1l0w'a'.1'1g tihc <'*.]a.i_a.11 p<:=.t'i*'{.i(')n and

M



determi11i1'1g3; the ba1a1'1c.e of gratuity payable._Tha*t[_'(3--rdas};
was (tailed in q1.1cs:-;1.i()n in twoVg1ppea1s;""c3----1ie9by=th=:: 

workman and the other by 7,t:}1¢"b..R0é:<:_1T1'2ii::S§)Gz::i__A

C01'p0:'at.i(m in PGA CR 463'/[Q7208 'en-'.1(V:1l  

08, whence by a (tc)mn}().1':L:A'<u1'e-E:

§§~"L



ci]i1h2-11 the pcI.it'i()11c'1* xvais not exte:1'1dr:.'d_» E1
re2»1._'.r7:__(>t'jj't-r;

  

and no c)ppo1'1:1..mitty to file addi1,ir.m211_:"'~;st.;1t:Vé1n1.ions to 11116 mai1'1.c'1z»1:"1*1'1;..anti-I'  '-

e) allowing of the 2ipp1i(3e11.{('31:1 

by the resp(m${E,!,f(%~<E ()f;"t1?1:éj3' :Covi:1t.r()11ing
A'L.1tho1'it.y 21;'1'§i_'_;'i'2:tcés_';pcj1iVC§jsiiy--pf §)l'(}0€dU1"G and

ta1'1tamou111;s to dé1'1i:31v100f' j'_L1St;iA{f:»:-3,0 

3. I1)" L§1;31'3?-j1§'" lé'-ar1"1~c%(}-----wzficmrlsel for the

resp()ride1"1t:ww()'riif:~'1.;i01T1.v'V(::0Qi'i't€1"£ds (21) that on 9.7.2007

l;here VVE-'1;'.':~I.._V no ._11:pi'&:§a.E.:111'at'i01'1 for t}'1€ pei.i1:i()ner«

 C(>.:"}3Ija_1fiI":i;wV;'1 anti'Illcreibre a Copy of the appIi('a1.i0n for

 'zanienAd':x1E~.~f1't_%. gitmld not be served on the counsel and that

lfhs'"z1ppIi(::§tiE)1'1 was }'l'd1'1(1€C'1 over 1.0 t"1'1e C()1T1E'.1*(,)I_1ing

'v,,'ALl1§h()1'i1A§,<'. who kl;-1vi1'1g__§ 1101. 1nade a 1"1(')t.:"1€i0r;'r1e"t'1~1"¢_ on 9.10.2007' by the respondent.-workman

the C)x’der Siwet dt. 9. E02007. Learned

ec5’ur1s._e’i’hafstens {‘0 add that on 9.10.2007 RW~i. ‘(he

0 A.\7s:’i§11eS’s for the pet}t.ic)ner~«e11’1pioyer was examined and

“.t1*1e’orcie1’ sheet. clisacimses the sigr’1a’s11re of the ieamed

‘”e()L11’1seI for the emp3(_)yer. Learned counsel furr.}1e.r

submits that the appii(§a1i0n for an1endme11i’ oi the

M

Jaw

claim pe1,it’.i01’1 is ibund in the 1’ec01’ds without:”there

being 21 Ce=1nce1Iati01’1 of the adhesive COUFII ff;7″(V'”.’….S’La.l.{–.I”1′}’)VV:’C33,].

the applicatioii. but a short sig11at’_i.11*e is f()ili’i1d’ iV’i1.11 ifhéu 0

date as 9.10.2007. Lemned (‘.()L::i1’1SC_1:A’i},§ii:]_y

tliere is no a1(:kx1c)w1crdgen1.c13t. 0f”geiiher i’hE;:A.énip1’i;>ye~r~”~.

Corp0ra1′.i0n or 1′:h21i_ of .’:’§3)vei1* 1111:”-
applicatioxi for amcrn’0.§iie21j1i.7_fi a copy of
the same. Learned that the
app1iCat.ior1’_V workman was
not separat’.ely before the
con Cliisiiiii _Vi0)i’.1″ .

.__Haviiig~-mhttard i..h€:’ Ecamed Counsel for the

_ péi”‘*1.is’ed the pleadings and egxamiiied the orders;

im_pi.1gI1ed;’1.i:;ie qLlt:’S1,i()l1 for d.ecisi()r1 inaikimg whether

in i:h¢;”:.fa.(:i_.s and c”-i1′(‘éumst’.a.n(:es the orclers of the

Cg)rfi:_1*()I1ing Au1h01*i1″.y and that of the Appellsue

_[‘xL1t.ho1’ity am-1-. sustiainable in law ‘PK

.951

6. indisputably the laws in the coumry are

ingrairied on the p1’i1’1(:ip1es of 1’1atura1 justice.:”~.._’Fh€3

Constinitional philosophy has its i”(‘)1.1I1cie»1’ii(:):f1’:–:)i’1_tfi’1».V”A.§7: (‘xi

Rule does 1101″ compiy with the C()l’15I–5UA.I:L1t.iC’fl€11.I1}..E1I'”‘,iti’&1fEa.

there is no deemed C’X(‘,11.1SiQi§’r_b1.l1. xiig’iS-jII’}:pVI’i€?’dV”iIi the”

Siiaiiute.

7. Vie:w::(1 iI1_.~~~33,~h..C7:”‘~ liggjliig E51′. viiijg’jréxcmstitutionai

phi10s:_0p1’1yI” 7:’}”:’;_.. goes *.\fii~JT1c)i,_:1« saying that the laws and
pr0cedz_1r£=._ fc:1.eit.’i.ti”g.§V’i’t'(gh’-aduf;udication in quasi _;’L1dicia1
pr0(‘1eedi1ig.$§_n’a’1.isi_7_(“‘0i_fi”()i’ni 1.0 the 1’L1Ec’.s of natural

jLr.$;1i;ic”e.u. in tVh€”.__ViV1’1F-31a4%.1’£ case. respcmdentt~workman filed

ah” 21§)§31it$&z1;.i()13 to (iE’I’,CI’l”flil’1(“‘. the grat1.iii.y on the

_ ..4’£i:h_z§11;.–.. the gra1’ui1’.y paid by the petitiioner A

C()rp(‘)r2it.£V(}§1VA’iIw21s not”: in E:’1C(_’.(.)l’d8.I1(‘,€ with law. Havitig

tlohe: an 2-imendmem? of the c’:c:)mc2i’11’s of the

e1pp1i’t:..2fi__¥”i()1″: rliusit be pi’e(::e(ied by an appiicatiori aficr

sVer:v«i.11g 2.1 copy of the sanie on the Corpmaiiion. l’I’he

ft
2

-8″

record r1121i111′,ain1ec] by the Controlling Au1.horit:y and the

orcier sheet dated 9.10.2007 a1’1in’1at.es an 21pp1i(T&1t’I”0i1 for

ame1’1drnem of the 01211111 petition by the res;§Q’:”1.§ié’:u.”;_f–~.

w0rkmar1 was not filed. T116 not’:ing in 1~1f:-%;%._:'(s.;j(iEt;%::’ sheet

dated 9.10.2007 ciiscloses i_}12{§_ ()1js-1:: fivitnéés.S”—R’\5;=.§. v£”g_.n5

the Corporation was exz’im.i_1’1ed ‘arid t:}.1é”_,a_se was;_”b

‘c1d_jOllI”I’l€’d for f1.11″t11e1* 11c:z1rii’igV: (>11 . “i’?”1e
Order Sheet fu1″1he1′”~.(i’1s(11£)se:?.§.v ‘i;’i’-“16:siggI1at.ums of the

Iearlied c()L1r1se§=f()r the” ‘paf’i’i¢s.y;111ci Pfesidirmg Officer.

Hcnxxrtzifcr .11: ‘§Vh-‘e,fiiévy1ha.§i’t’:~–.;wa;11ab1c by the State Counsei
disc1c’)se3 2:1) e1ppii.0(iatbi’c).(1″”dif. 9.30.2007 &1(.’.(%()rr1paniCd by
an :«1ffide1vi’f.~V<)i"'ex7e:–11 ti._e1'kfc?()i'1.he% workman for amendment
0i'..«13;he0'~:.r1ai1ri'*–:afV_ R:-7.1.1 1.048 1.0 Rs_4.56.032. This

apfjliCéiif'i(')h;__as rightly p0i1'1E1e(i out by {.116 1c:*ar1'1ed Govt.

A§iyC';<';i'1»g§0 ~ hot. a('tkr1c.Jw1edgc:c.i by the'-r pet._it.ioher«

CA('_:1fpris<:ci c.)ffi.oe1*.

N

8. in the Ci:”‘ statcmeni; ()1T<)b'e(?*t.10t1s. /j1'hh1i:_':.7 is ')er=ha.r)s'-.V
J A _ } . I.

the reason why the C()11t_1’c)1’i’§:jg»A1.1t.h0rity.ciid’jnot pass
orders t_here011 bef()r:¥: t:h_e c_if)hI1clA1.;rst%i0.»IV’:s’of the prbceedings.
A question (teniainly 21:*is’es_V:<1s'_i(f) xv}r1é1': at: what point

of time U118?"é1pI}).li(~zlfL:§()I?i f'ix)Ll'I4'1d VEi"})1Ei~;(TE? in the file. An

ansxzver to tj.I1L%."'q;.i'csf,'i~Qh~=._is -not f01't:111ni11g from the
rc01*ds§_ ._si,1gggc’s1.i12g _f’f*}.g1″If $211′; enqui1’y be-: herlcl by the

C0r1f’r.r_Ql1ing’AL:t211é:ri£31.

h ‘i”E.1e a1n1éfidrne11i. proposed was to increase the

:;::1§n:_a’*».:}gtn.L —35.1.:1,048/– to Rs.4.52.O32/M which

app’lic:at’,ioij_ csiuglli 1.0 have had :1 (:c)r1sidera1.i(‘m and an

()rde1i passed t’he:’eon. e11t.itliI1g the panics” to advem(fe

i.1iei.;’ c::011te11t,i0ns. by l’€CO1″(iiI’]g aciditiional evidence. In

7ti191E1″e1bsc1’1<re of an order on the app1i(:al'.i01 %{t:11c

YHL

C()nt'1*()1}i11g' Aut.110rity did 110i. I121\:e~ the _jL1ri:%dig:t.i_§'11i'

aflow the claim in excess of 1. 1 1,048/s…., _ '

10. ‘I’}’1us the only c>0n(‘1usi;o11 t’_I% 13t €:g11’i r3<:_ {1.1jz1wf'1_

thai me C0111:r()1}i1'1g A1,1f;}'!Ql'iT.y. " £i}3])1iETdx' ¢1A[5€I'{:'t?i'V&3€ '.

pr()cedu1'e in allowing ihe :':{;,V\…_1..j1v1'iz*.._z:V1t.irp()r21i.i0;j; the balance of
of the clairn 1.0
Rs.4.1A1 .1_8’0/9. (:a1mot but be said to

he1vg:€ octnteisioi-kid”ggrave i11j1..1s1’.ice as also denial ofjust,ice

‘A tr.) {I163 $16t’,it.I’;1ppEic::1t.i(m could

n.(_)t.”_«.11ave been made 21v21i1ab1e to the pe1″.it’:i1*p()re1t,io1’1 .<;ir1c:e ('.ou11se1 was not available on

9.10.2007. in the fac:t'.ua.1 mat'.ri.x that submissi(')1'1 has no

grain of t',rLtt',i'1. I am compelled to my so since. as

M

'' p.1é.é1.

n0i:i(..*ed $17!)!-kit on 9.10.2007. RW1 was e>xa1n1in.cici.iéujid

the Comisel for the C(_)rp0ra’£i0n afi’i.x(=”d his _:-:%__gI14é1’i–‘1}’i’r:} ‘7t.:i)_.’ .

the order sheet. _

12. ‘1’i1()1.zgh ixhc-2 siforesaid, <::c;'i'1L¢;9r11fi£.)_r1's;_":;1dV'.éL:.1é€.d

by the lc;-a1'r1ed C()1.:11sc1 ibr"i;h'é:_pertitionczvC.orp0;<aIion L

for the filfstz time b('fQl'(" i'hiS_..Ci;5't,EI'T'-.jI1V(.)i{iI1gHA1"'i.i(§l€ 227

of the Co1'1si;it.uti(')1'i <:)"i" 1i:1d'it¢1.f';~.V1':téif'e*i1fi}1'£r'icss violation of

principlés oi"ii1.21l'.L71*VéiViV"-j1.:$i:ififex éiiieged and duly

esiab:_ishec_i."éi1')i1:14.éi'i;r;r.d in the record maini;aiI1cd by
the C<)fi1;_rE;Ii1i11g.._Au'i_1it3::_it'y,". it car11'i()i: be said that. the

p€{'.i:i.i('J!'1_E?1'-C()'fpiJT2i1.i(,§'§'] is di_sem:itied to advzmce such a

En'f'2}eV:;=19c:sL.1it. the writ petitioii is allowed. The

O1"ciers§fi()i; the C()n'm)1li1'1g Auiihcirity and i',E1e1i'. of the

A1;$'ps:il21t:e Aui.I'iority are (11.12-zshed and the px'():~; 0rc.iers in the li ht.” .

6:9′

()bsewz»1t..i(>1’1s and st.r’i(*t’1y in 2′-1(r(‘(>1ici;¢;1V1}(:e \#g>’i’t:I*1″}£::.wh

In.