BINAY KUMAR GUPTA ETC. Vs. STATE OF BIHAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IN these writ petitions the petitioners are aggrieved by the orders dated 10.8.1994 and 19.9.1994 passed by respondent No. 3, the Additional Collector, Ranchi, being the appellate authority under the Minimum Wages Act, in Miscellaneous Appeal Nos. 1/93, 4/93, 13/93, 15/93 and 16/93. By these orders the petitioners were directed to deposit 50% of the claimed amount and on their failure to deposit the said amount the appeal shall not be admitted.

(2.) IT appear that on the application filed by the Labour Superintendent and Labour Inspector under Section 20(2) of the Minimum Wages Act (in short the said Act) complaining less payment of minimum wages by the petitioners who are the employers, proceedings were initiated by the Sub -Divisional Officer -cum - Authority under the said Act. On being noticed to show -cause the petitioners appeared before the Sub -Divisional Officer and took a defence that they were paying wages to their employees at the rates determined in a tripartite agreement reached between the authority, the Labour Superintendent and the members of the employee. The Sub -Divisional Officer, after hearing the parties, held that the petitioners are not paying to the employees minimum wages fixed under the said Act and accordingly by order dated 7.5.1993 the petitioners were directed to make payment of the wages at the rate fixed under the said Act and also to pay compensation and the difference of the amount.