TMI Blog2005 (7) TMI 618X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... Appeal (civil) 7501 of 2002 - - - Dated:- 14-7-2005 - R Lahoti and G Mathur, P Balasubramanyan, JJ. JUDGMENT 1. This appeal, by special leave, has been filed against the judgment and order dted 145.2001 of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana by which the writ petition preferred by the appellant challenging the award of Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Rohtak directing reinstatement of the respondent Rudhan Singh with continuity of service and 50% back wages was dismissed. 2. The respondent Rudhan Singh was appointed in various capacities on a class IV post with the appellant Haryana Roadways and he worked from 16.3.1988 to 28.2.1989 with some breaks. Thereafter, he was not given any appointment. He raised a demand for being reinstated before the Conciliation Officer, Rohtak on 24.8.1991. The conciliation efforts having failed the State Government exercising powers under Section 10(1)(c) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (for short the 'Act') made a reference to the Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court, Rohtak as to whether the termination of service of the respondent is justified and valid, and, if not, to what relief he was entitled under law. 3. In his claim ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... n his previous post with continuity of service and 50% back wages. The appellant filed a writ petition challenging the award of the Industrial Tribunal-cum- Labour Court before the Punjab and Haryana High Court, which was dismissed on 14.5.2001. 4. Learned counsel for the appellant has submitted that the respondent had been appointed for a fixed period and his appointment came to an automatic end after the expiry of the period and, therefore, it was not a case of retrenchment in view of Section 2(oo)(bb) of the Act. It is true that in view of the aforesaid provision the termination of service of a workman as a result of non-renewal of the contract of employment between the employer and the workman concerned on its expiry or of such contract being terminated under a stipulation in that behalf contained therein would not amount to retrenchment in view of Section 2(oo)(bb) of the Act. However, such a plea that had been taken in the written statement does not appear to have been pressed before the Industrial Tribunal-cum-Labour Court nor the award shows that any evidence was led to substantiate such a plea that the respondent had been engaged on contract for a fixed period or his con ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ndred and ninety days in the case of a workman employed below ground in a mine; and (ii) two hundred and forty days, in any other case; (b) for a period of six months, if the workman, during a period of six calendar months preceding the date with reference to which calculation is to be made, has actually worked under the employer for not less than (i) ninety-five days, in the case of a workman employed below ground in a mine; and (ii) one hundred and twenty days, in any other case. Explanation. - ................................................................... ................... (omitted as not relevant for the present case)" This amended provision has been considered in Surendra Kumar Verma vs. The Central Government Industrial Tribunal-cum- Labour Court, New Delhi [AIR 1981 SC 422], where after noticing the ratio of Sur Enamel and Stamping Works Ltd. vs. The Workmen (supra), it was held as under: - "Act 36 of 1964 has drastically changed the position. S. 2(eee) has been repealed and S. 25-B(2) now begins with the clause "where a workman is not in continuous service ...... for a period of one year". These changes brought about by Act 36 of 1964 appear to be clearly des ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... rt in the year 1997, which means eight years after the termination of service. Normally, a reference should not be made after lapse of a long period. A labour dispute should be resolved expeditiously and there is no justification for the State Government to sleep over the matter and make a reference after a long period of time at its sweet will. It causes prejudice both to the workman and also to the employer. It is not possible for an employer to retain all the documents for a long period and then to produce evidence, whether oral or documentary, after years as the officers, who may have dealt with the matter, might have left the establishment on account of superannuation or any other reason. The employer is not at fault if the reference is not made expeditiously by the State Government, but it is saddled with an award directing payment of back wages without having taken any work from the concerned workman. The plight of the workman who is thrown out of employment is equally bad as it is a question of survival for his family and he should not be left in a state of uncertainty for a long period. 8. There is no rule of thumb that in every case where the Industrial Tribunal gives a ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... id and accordingly did not make any direction for award of past salary. In State of U.P. and Anr. vs. Atal Behari Shastri and anr. [JT 1992 (5) 523], a termination order passed on 15.7.1970 terminating the services of a Licence Inspector was finally quashed by the High Court in a writ petition on 27.11.1991 and a direction was issued to pay the entire back salary from the date of termination till the date of his attaining superannuation. This Court, in absence of a clear finding that the employee was not gainfully employed during the relevant period, set aside the order of the High Court directing payment of entire back salary and substituted it by payment of a lumpsum amount of Rs.25,000/-. In Virender Kumar, General Manager, Northern Railways, New Delhi vs. Avinash Chandra Chadha and others [(1990) 3 SCC 472], there was a dispute regarding seniority and promotion to a higher post. This Court did not make any direction for payment of higher salary for the past period on the principle 'no work no pay' as the respondents had actually not worked on the higher post to which they were entitled to be promoted. In Surjit Ghosh vs. Chairman and Managing Director, United Commercial Bank an ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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