PURNEA ZILA MAZDOOR UNION Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This writ petition involves an interesting question as to whether the State of Bihar having been carrying on an industry has any constitutional or statutory liability to pay the minimum wages to the employees engaged by the contractor inter alia in terms of the provisions contained in Article 23 of the Constitution of India.

(2.) The basic facts of this case are not at all in dispute.

(3.) In discharge of its sovereign duty and in obedience to the directive principles of the Constitution as enshrined under Article 48 of the Constitution the State of Bihar undertook construction of an irrigational canal in North Bihar commonly known as Western Kosi Canal.