ANDHRA PRINTERS LTD Vs. GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The fourth Respondent is employed as a Sub-Editor with the Petitioner. It is stated that he was the President of A.P. Working Journalists' Union at Hyderabad. The Petitioner transferred him to Delhi in the year 1997. A civil suit was filed by the fourth Respondent and the same was dismissed. He approached the Deputy Commissioner of Labour, Hyderabad with a prayer to take steps for recovery of a sum of Rs. 5,50,000/- representing his wages and attendant benefits as provided under Section 17(1) of the Working Journalists Act, 1955. The Deputy Commissioner of Labour passed an order, dated 20.06.2003 as prayed for and requested the District Collector to recover that amount.

(2.) The Petitioner approached the Deputy Commissioner as well as the Joint Commissioner. The order, dated 20.06.2003 was recalled and instead, the Deputy Commissioner addressed proceedings, dated 24.09.2003, to the Government for necessary action; and taking that, and the observations of the Joint Commissioner into account, the Government issued G.O. Rt. No. 2491, Labour Employment Training & Factories (LAB-I) Department, dated 22.12.2003, referring the matter to the Labour Court, Guntur in exercise of powers under Section 10(1)(d) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (for short 'the Act').

(3.) The Labour Court registered the matter as I.D. No.15 of 2004. On the ground that the fourth Respondent did not submit his claim statement, the Labour Court dismissed the I.D., on 07.03.2006.