SAUJANYA PRINTING PRESS Vs. DYPUTY LABOUR COMMISSIONER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Notice of the writ petition is yet to be issued. For reasons mentioned therein, the application is allowed and hearing is preponed to this day.

(2.) The petitioner management has brought this writ action to assail order dtd. 26/7/2022 of the Authority under the Minimum Wages Act, whereby the petitioner was directed to pay a sum of Rs.32,952.00 towards difference of arrears in minimum wages alongwith one time penalty on the awarded amount towards compensation, thereby to the total tune of Rs.65,904.00 to the respondent workman. Having heard learned counsel for petitioner management, I find no reason to issue notice to the workman and make him spend money on litigation.

(3.) Briefly stated, the respondent no. 2 workman filed an application dtd. 13/10/2021 against the present petitioner management under Sec. 20(2) of the Minimum Wages Act 1948, pleading that he was appointed by the petitioner management on 1/1/2020 and his last drawn salary was Rs.10,000.00 per month; that he was performing his duties with full honesty and devotion but the petitioner management did not provide any facility admissible under law; that the petitioner management did not pay him wages according to the notified rates of minimum wages for the period from 1/4/2021 to 30/9/2021 and thereafter terminated his services; that despite demand notice dtd. 8/10/2021, the petitioner management did not pay him arrears of minimum wages to the total tune of Rs.35,448.00. In view of these circumstances, respondent no. 2 workman prayed for directions to the petitioner management to pay the amount of Rs.35,448.00 alongwith penalty to the tune of ten times to the said amount.