ROOP SINGH Vs. EXECUTIVE ENGINEER, HPPWD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of instant Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, petitioner-workman (hereinafter referred to as, "workman") has laid challenge to Award dated 28.3.2017, passed by the Labour Court-cum-Industrial Tribunal, Kangra at Dharamshala (HP) (hereinafter referred to as, "Tribunal") in Ref No. 480/2015, whereby learned Tribunal awarded a lump sum compensation of Rs.70,000/- in favour of the workman in lieu of the back wages, seniority, past service benefits as well as other consequential service benefits.

(2.) Precisely the facts as emerge from the record are that the Appropriate Government made following reference under Section 10(1) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (hereinafter referred to as, 'Act') to the Tribunal:

(3.) The workman claimed before learned Tribunal that he was engaged by the authorities on daily wage basis on Muster Roll with effect from December, 1998. He continued to work till September, 1999, as such, he had completed 240 days. The workman alleged that his services were unlawfully terminated by the respondent verbally with effect from the year, 1999, without issuing one month's notice and retrenchment compensation, as envisaged under Section 25F of the Act. The workman claimed before learned Tribunal that since the respondent violated provisions of Section 25 of the Act, his oral termination deserves to be set aside. While placing on record factum with regard to retention of his juniors at the time of his retrenchment, workman also alleged that the principle of 'last come, first go' was also not followed by the respondent. He further claimed that after his termination, respondent engaged many persons, who subsequently worked as daily wage Beldars but at no point in time, opportunity, if any, was ever afforded to him for re-employment, as such, action of the respondent, which is in sheer violation of the provisions contained under Section 25H of the Act, deserves to be quashed and set aside.