MANAGEMENT Vs. PRESIDING OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) As the issue involved in both the Writ Petitions is one and the same, both the cases are taken up for disposal by a common order.

(2.) W.P. No. 1156 of 2017 is filed seeking to quash the impugned order passed by the 1st respondent in unnumbered I.A. of 2016 in C.P. No. 24 of 2016, dated 03.01.2017 and for a further direction to the 1st respondent to decide as a preliminary issue as to whether the 2nd respondent is a contract employee receiving retainer salary or not. Thereafter, the petitioner/Management filed another Writ Petition in W.P. No. 1501 of 2017 for a direction to the 1st respondent to send the Claim Petitions filed by respondents 2 to 42 to the National Lok Adalat to be held on 11.02.2017 at Madurai Bench of Madras High Court.

(3.) The case of the petitioner is that employees working as Drivers in their Management numbering about 70 and above have filed Claim Petitions before the 1st respondent/Labour Court, Tirunelveli on the ground that salary paid to them is meagre and that they are entitled to the benefits under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and claimed a sum of Rs. 5,00,000/- and above depending on their entry into service. The Claim Petitions numbering 30 have been settled as withdrawn before the Lok Adalat and the remaining 42 Claim Petitions are pending.