Janasadharan Printing and Publishers Pvt. Ltd. and Anr v. The State of Assam and 6 Ors

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1.THEoUNIONoOFoINDIAoANDo5oORS. REP.oBYoTHEoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoINDIA oMINISTRYoOFoLABOURoANDoEMPLOYMENToSHRAMoSHAKTIoBHAWAN oNEWoDELHI-110001 2:THEoSTATEoOFoASSAM REPoBYoTHEoCOMMISSIONERoANDoSECRETARYoTOoTHEoGOVT.oOFoASSAMo LABOURoANDoEMPLOYMENToDEPTT.o DISPURoGUWAHATI-6 o3:THEoADDITIONALoSECRETARY LABOURoANDoEMPLOYMENToDEPTT.oGOVT.oOFoASSAM oDISPURoGUWAHATI-6 o4:THEoDEPUTYoSECRETARY LABOURoANDoEMPLOYMENToDEPTT.oGOVT.oOFoASSAM oDISPURoGUWAHATI-6 o5:THEoLABOURoCOMMISSIONER CUMoAUTHORITYoUNDERoTHEoWORKINGoJOURNALISTSoANDoOTHERo NEWSPAPERoEMPLOYEESo(CONDITIONSoOFoSERVICE)oANDo MISCELLANEOUSoPROVISIONSoACTo1955 oGOPINATHoNAGARoGUWAHATI-16 o6:JANASADHARANoNEWSPAPERoEMPLOYEESoUNION REPoBYoITSoPRESIDENToSRIoMRINALoKANTIoMISRA oHOUSEoNO.o15oNARIKALBASTI oCHINAKIoPATHoGUWAHATI-781024. Page No.# 4/6

For the Appellant(s) : Mr. S. Borthakur, Advocate in WA No.347/2022.

: Mr. D. Das, Senior Advocate assisted by Mr. T. Chakraborty and Mr. I. Bhuyan, Advocates in WA Nos.75/2022 & 76/2022. For the Respondent(s) : Mr. D.K. Sarmah, Additional Senior Government Advocate for State respondents. : Mr. B. Chakraborty, Central Government Counsel for respondent No.1 in WA No.75/2022.

: Mr. S. Borthakur, Advocate for respondent No.6 in WA No.75/2022 and for respondent No.7 in WA No.76/2022. : Mr. D. Das, Senior Advocate assisted by Mr. T. Chakraborty and Mr. I. Bhuyan, Advocates for respondent Nos.7 & 8 in WA No.347/2022.

– BEFORE – HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. VIJAY BISHNOI HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SUMAN SHYAM

02.05.2024 (Vijay Bishnoi, CJ)

These writ appeals are filed by the appellants being aggrieved with the judgment and order dated 21.01.2022, whereby the learned Single Judge of this Court, after hearing the counsel for both the sides has disposed of the writ petitions, i.e. WP(C) No.1274/2018 and WP(C) No.7158/2021, while observing that the dispute regarding non-payment of arrears by the appellant Janasadharan Printing and publishers Private Limited to its employees is required to be decided by the Labour Court, Guwahati in the reference. The learned Single Judge has observed that the Labour Court, Guwahati shall dispose of the said reference within a period of 4(four) months from the date of the appearance of the parties before it. Learned Single Judge has further directed that pending the reference before the Labour Court, the Janasadharan Printing and Page No.# 5/6 Publishers Private Limited shall deposit an amount of Rs.25,00,000/- (Rupees twenty five lakhs) in the office of the Labour Commissioner-cum-Authority within a period of 4(four) weeks and the same shall be disbursed to the members of the Janasadharan Newspaper Employees Union which would remain subject to the outcome of the proceedings before the Labour Court. This Court, while passing the order dated 17.02.2023 has taken note of the fact that as per the directions given by this Court on 14.03.2022, an amount of Rs.15,00,000/- (Rupees Fifteen Lakh) has been deposited by the Janasadharan Printing and Publishers Private Limited before the Registrar of the Gauhati High Court. Learned counsel appearing for the parties are in agreement that the matter be decided by the Labour Court, Guwahati as directed by the learned Single Judge and in the meantime, the amount of Rs.15,00,000/- so deposited by way of Fixed Deposit before the Registrar of this Court be disbursed to the members of the Janasadharan Newspaper Employees Union. A request is made on behalf of the counsel for the parties that the Labour Court, Guwahati be directed to decide the reference expeditiously. In view of the joint submission made by the learned counsel for the parties, these writ appeals are disposed of with the expectation that the Labour Court, Guwahati shall decide the reference expeditiously, preferably within a period of 6(six) months from the date of appearance of the parties before the Labour Court. The parties are directed to remain present before the Labour Court, Guwahati on 28.05.2024 through their representatives or counsel. The amount of Rs.15,00,000/- so deposited by the Janasadharan Printing and Publishers Private Limited before the Registrar, Gauhati High Court be disbursed to the Janasadharan Newspaper Employees Union along with the interest so accumulated on the said deposit. The said disbursement be made within a period of 2(two) weeks from the date of production of a certified copy of this order. Page No.# 6/6 The Janasadharan Newspaper Employees Union shall maintain proper record of disbursement of the said amount to its members and shall also furnish a list of employees, to whom the disbursement is made, to the Janasadharan Printing and Publishers Private Limited within a period of 2(two) weeks from the date of disbursement. Needless to say that the disbursement of Rs.15,00,000/- along with the interest shall remain subject to the outcome of the proceedings before the Labour Court, Guwahati.

JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE

Comparing Assistant