JASWINDER SINGH Vs. THE PRESIDING OFFICER AND OTHERS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The present and the 13 connected writ petitions will stand disposed of by this common order.

(2.) This bunch of cases arise out of the awards passed by the Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Bathinda in 14 industrial references referred by the appropriate Government in 2001 for adjudication to test the correctness of termination of the services of the petitioners who were employed as Pump Operators etc. on daily wages by the Municipal Council, Moga to run 19 Tubewells within the local limits of the Municipal Council for the supply of drinking water to the residents of Moga in addition to a command of 8 sewerage disposal sites. The Tubewells were being modernized and made automatic in their operation ad therefore less labour intensive. The running of these utilities was decided to be outsourced by the municipality.

(3.) It is the case of the Municipal Council that with the closing of the project due to non-availability of funds the workmen were rendered redundant when the operation of the facilities was handed over to contractors to execute the outsourcing scheme in the new order.