DEVADAS Vs. DIRECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioners have approached this Court seeking for a direction to the 3rd respondent to provide adequate and effective police protection to the life of the petitioners to conduct business in their respective shops under the Agricultural Wholesale Market Authority, Anayara, Thiruvananthapuram.

(2.) The contention urged by petitioners is that they are carrying on business in vegetables and egg in the market. The area in question is not a scheme covered area under the Kerala Headload Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Scheme, 1983. They have their own employees to do the loading and unloading works in their respective shops. The complaint is that respondents 5 to 10 who are Conveners of certain Unions in the area engaged in headload work are demanding that they alone should be permitted to carry on the work in the petitioners' shops and they are making illegal demands by way of 'nokku koolie'. On account of the threat by respondents 5 to 10, petitioners have approached the 3rd respondent seeking police protection and since no action has been taken in the matter, they have approached this Court.

(3.) Learned counsel appearing for 4th respondent submits that as matters stand now, the area in question is not a scheme covered area and a decision has already been taken by the Committee to include the area in question also as a scheme covered area, which will be done within 15 days.