DEO SUNDER JHA Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This batch of writ petitions raise common question of law and arises from almost identical (acts and therefore can be disposed of by one common judgment. In all these writ petitions, interpretation of notification dated 9.12.1976 issued by Central Government in exereise of powers under Section 10 of the Contract Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act. 1970 is involved. The said notification reads as under:

(2.) As per the aforesaid notification issued by the Central Government, employment of contract labour for, interalia, "watching of buildings" has been prohibited w.e..f. 1.3.1977. Petitioners in all these writ petitions are working as security guards.

(3.) The question to be determined is as to whether the security services provided by the petitioners would be covered by the expression watching of buildings? If that be so, then such petitioners could not have been appointed as contract labour.