SREENIVAS S/O. DASAPPA Vs. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPARTMENT OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT VIKAS SOUDHA DR. AMBEDKAR VEDHI BANGALORE BY ITS SACRETARY, THE DIRECTOR OF MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION 9TH FLOOR, VISHVESHWARAIAH TOWERS DR. AMBEDKAR ROAD BANGALORE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IN this writ petition the petitioner has prayed for a writ in the nature of certiorari to quash the order dated 17.05.2007 Annexure -E issued by the third respondent rejecting the claim of the petitioner for payment of equal wages for equal work and also for regularisation. Petitioner contends that from the year 1998 he is working as water supply assistant in the third respondent Municipal Council To the similarly situated employees equal Wages for equal work is paid but the same is denied to the petitioner, Petitioner contends that he is discharging ha work as any other regular employee in the Municipal Council. The act of respondents in issuing the impugned endorsement is discriminative. Therefore the petitioner is before this Court.

(2.) THE impugned endorsement the only reason assigned by the respondents is that the petitioner is working on contract basis and therefore he is not entitled for equal wages for equal work This reasoning is contrary to law. It is obligatory on the part of the respondents to pay minimum wages to the petitioner. Even the claim of petitioner for minimum wages is not considered in the impugned endorsement. It is not the case of the respondent that petitioner is part time worker. In the circumstances the impugned endorsement is liable to be quashed. For the reasons stated above, the following: ORDER3. Writ petition is here by allowed. The impugned endorsement dated 17.05.2007 Annexure -e is hereby quashed. Matter is remanded to respondents for reconsideration of petitioner's claim for regularisation and equal pay for equal work in accordance with law and as expeditiously as possible and in any event not later than three months from the date of receipt of copy of this order.