Birwati v. Presiding Officer Labour Court and Others

o INoTHEoHIGHoCOURToOFoPUNJABoANDoHARYANAoATo CHANDIGARHo o oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooCWP-16768-2023o(O&M)ooo DateoofoDecision:o04.08.2023o o o BIRWATIo o o o o o o o o o o o …Petitionero o Versuso o o PRESIDINGoOFFICER,oINDUSTRIALoTRIBUNAL-CUM-o LABOURoCOURT-III,oFARIDABADoANDoOTHERSo o o o o o o o o o oooooooooo…Respondentso o CORAM:oo HON'BLEoMR.oJUSTICEoHARSHoBUNGERo o Presento:o Mr.oDeepakoSonak,oAdvocateo forotheopetitioner.o o o o HARSHoBUNGER,oJ.o(ORAL)oo

1.o o Petitioner-workmano (Birwatio W/oo Karambir)o haso filedo thiso petitionounderoArticleso226/227oofotheoConstitutionoofoIndia,oforoissuanceoofoao writoinotheonatureoofocertiorarioforosettingoasideotheoimpugnedoawardodatedo

31.01.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)opassedobyorespondentoNo.1-PresidingoOfficer,o IndustrialoTribunal-cum-LabouroCourt-III,oFaridabad;owherebyotheoreferenceo ofotheoindustrialodisputeohasobeenodecidedoagainstoher.o Aofurtheroprayerohasobeenomadeoforoissuanceoofoaowritoinotheonatureoofo mandamuso foro directingo theo respondentso too reinstateo theo petitionero witho continuityoofoserviceoandofullobackowages.o

2.o o Briefly,otheopetitioneroraisedoanoindustrialodisputeoquaoheroillegalo terminationo byo servingo ao demando noticeo datedo 23.02.2017,o whicho waso subsequentlyo referredo too Industrialo Tribunal-cum-Labouro Court-III,o Faridabado(inoshorto'theoTribunal')oforoadjudication.o

3.o o Inotheoclaimostatement,opetitioneroclaimedothatosheowasoworkingo withorespondent-ForestoDepartmentoasoMazdooroinoReserveoForestoAreaoofo Palwalo sinceo yearo 2005o andosheo continuouslyo workedo uptooAugust,o2016o wheno suddenlyo hero serviceso wereo terminatedo ino ano illegalo ando arbitraryo mannerobyoadoptingounfairolabouropractice.oItowasostatedothatoduringotheolongo tenureoofo11oyearsoofoheroservice,otheoStateoofoHaryanaohasoframedoPolicyoofo regularizationoofoemployeesowhoowereohavingoserviceoofomoreothano10oyearso inohis/herocredit,obutotheorespondentsohaveoneveroconsideredotheonameoofotheo petitioner,o whoo remainedo aso dailyo wagero duringo thiso tenure.o Petitionero allegedo exploitationo ando claimedo thato thougho theo respondent-Foresto departmentoisoliableotooregularizeoheroasosheofulfillsotheocriteria,ohowevero whenotheopetitioneroaskedofororegularizationoofoheroservicesothenoheroserviceso wereo terminated.o Petitionero statedo thato earliero respondentso wereo payingo wagesotooheroonoMusteroRollobutolateroon,otheyostoppedopaymentoonoMustero Roll.oPetitioneroclaimedothatoherterminationoisoillegal,ounjustifiedoandoagainsto principlesooofoonaturaloojusticeoandocontraryotootheoprovisionsoofotheoIndustrialo DisputesoAct,o1947o(inoshort,o'theo1947oAct').oAccordingly,otheopetitionero prayedothatosheomayobeoreinstatedowithofullobackowagesoandocontinuityoofo service.o

4.o o Ono theo othero hand,o theo respondent-Foresto department,o contestedotheoclaimoofotheopetitionerobyofilingoitsoreplyowherein,ointer-alia,o theofollowingostandowasotakeno:-o a)o Thereowasonoorelationoofoemployeroandoworkmano betweenotheorespondent-departmentoandopetitioner;o b)o Theo Foresto Departmento adoptedo pieceo rateo contractosystemofromotheoyearo2003oandodoesonotoengageo labouro directly.o Theo worko iso eithero executedo througho villageoForestoCommitteeoorothroughocontractors;o c)o Theopetitioner-workmanowasoneveroappointedoaso MazdooroinooReserveooForestooAreaoofoPalwaloofromo July,o 2005oandoneveroworkedoupotooAugusto2016,oasoallegedobyo petitioner;o d)o Theoopetitionerowasoneveroappointedoagainstooanyo regularopost;o e)o Theopetitionerohasonotobeenoengagedoforoallotwelveo precedingo calendaro monthso continuouslyo duringo anyo year;o f)o Theo petitionero haso noto workedo foro 240o dayso ino twelveo precedingo calendaro monthso fromo theo dateo ofo disputeo(Augusto2016)owithotheorespondent-department.o

5.o o Fromo theo pleadingso ofo theo parties,o theo Tribunalo framedo theo followingoissues:o

1.o Whethero theo serviceso ofo theo ladyo workero wereo o terminatedoillegally?oIfoso,otoowhatoreliefosheoiso o entitledotoo?oOPWo

2.o Whetherooothereoooexistsooonoooorelationshipoooofo o employeeo ando employero betweeno theo claimant o andorespondents?oOPRo

3.oooWhetherotheopresentoclaimoisobadoonoaccountoofo ononojoiningoofotheoVillageoForestoCommitteeooando otheo contractors,o witho whom,o theo workmano hadoo worked,o o aso o allegedo o ino parao no.5o ofo the opreliminaryoobjectionsoofotheowrittenostatement?o oOPRo o4.ooooo Relief."o

6.o o Ino ordero too proveo hero case/claim,o theo petitioner/workman-Birwati,o examinedo herselfo aso WW1o ando alsoo examinedo oneo Vikramo (summonedowitness)oasoWW2oandoreliedouponotheofollowingodocumentsoino herodocumentaryoevidenceo:-o Sr.o Exhibito Documento No.o 1o W1o CopyoofoorderoofoCWPoNo.28362oofo 2013opassedobyothisoCourt.o 2o W2o Copyo ofo Officeo ordero No.62o datedo

31.03.2015o passedo byo Sh.o Sundero Lal,o H.F.S.,o Divisionalo Foresto Officer,oPalwal.ooo 3o W3o Copyo ofo failureo reporto datedo

31.03.2017o ofo Assistanto Labouro Commissioner,oPalwal.o 4o W4o Copiesoofostatementsoofowitnessoando recordo producedo ino theo caseo titledo asoPrempaloVs.oD.F.O.oPalwaloando others.o 5o WW2/1o Copyoofoletterodatedo06.07.2000oforo implementationo ofo contracto systemo inoForestoDepartment,oHaryana.o 6o WW2/2o Copyo ofo FIRo No.0008o datedo

05.01.2017.o 7o WW2/3o Copyo ofo certificateo issuedo byo DivisionaloForestoOfficer.o 8o W5o Copyo ofo legalo noticeo datedo

20.11.2012.o Thereafter,o theo petitioner-Workmano closedo hero evidenceo ono

20.01.2022.o

7.o o Ono theo othero hand,o theo respondentso haveo examinedo oneo Amardeep,oForestoRanger,oForestoDepartment,oPalwaloasoRW1oandohaveoalsoo adducedofollowingodocumentsoinotheirodocumentaryoevidenceo:-o Sr.oNo.o Exhibit/so Documento 1o R1oo Listoofodocumentso(Annexure-1)o 2o R2o&oR3o Copieso ofo attendanceo recordo ofo Birwatio alongo witho copieso ofo casho book.o 3o R4o Copyoofoletterodatedo02.06.2011o 4o R5o Copyo ofo certificateo issuedo byo Sh.o K.C.o Meena,o I.E.S.o Chairman,o Foresto Developmento Agency,o Palwalo alongo witho listo ofo Villageo ForestoCommittees.oo 5o R6o Copyoofobill.o 6o R7o Copyoofoletterodatedo06.07.2000oforo implementationo ofo contracto systemo inoForestoDepartment,oHaryana.o 7o R8o CopyoofoletteroMemoono.4295-Pt-5-2003/23675odatedo22.10.2003.o o o Thereafter,otheorespondentsoevidenceowasoclosedoono11.10.2022.o

8.o o Videoimpugnedoawardodatedo31.01.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)opassedo byotheoTribunal;otheoreferenceoofotheoindustrialodisputeohasobeenodecidedo againstotheopetitioner-workman.o

9.o o Beingoaggrievedoagainstotheoimpugnedoawardodatedo31.01.2023o (AnnexureoP-3)oibid,otheopetitionerohasofiledotheoinstantowritopetition.o

10.o o Learnedocounseloforotheopetitionerowhileoreiteratingotheostandoofo theopetitionero beforeo theo Labouro Court,osubmittedo thatotheopetitionero waso appointedo ono dailyo wageo basiso ino theo respondent-Foresto departmento aso Labourero (Mazdoor)o ino theo yearo 2005o ando sheo continuouslyo workedo tillo August,o2016,owhenosuddenlyoheroservicesowereoterminatedoinoanoillegaloando arbitraryo mannero withouto followingotheomandatoryo provisionso ofo theo Act,o 1947.o Ito iso submittedo thato theo petitionero haso workedo continuouslyo ino theo departmentofromotheodateoofoheroinitialoappointmentoandosheowasoappointedo directlyoandoalwaysoworkedounderotheodirectocontroloandosupervisionoofotheo respondent-departmentoandopaymentotootheopetitionerowasoalwaysomadeobyo respondent-department.oItoisonextosubmittedothatotheopetitioneroneveroworkedo undero anyo contractoro oro Villageo Foresto Committee.o Ito iso statedo thato theo petitioneroworkedoforomoreothano240odaysoinotheolasto12omonthsoprecedingo hero terminationo ando noo propero attendanceo register/Mustero Rollo waso maintainedobyorespondent-departmentonoroanyosuchorecordowasoproducedobyo theo respondent-department.o Ito iso contendedo thato ino theo absenceo ofo anyo contractobetweenotheocontractor/VillageoForestoCommitteeoandorespondent-department,otheoworkmanoisoanoemployeeoofodepartment.oItoisoalsoocontendedo thato ano adverseo inferenceo shouldo haveo beeno drawno againsto respondent-departmentoforonotoproducingorecord.oAccordingly,ocounseloforotheopetitionero praysothatotheoimpugnedoawardodatedo31.01.2023o(AnnexureoP-3)opassedobyo theoTribunal,omayobeosetoasideoandonecessaryodirectionsomayobeoissuedoforo reinstatementoofopetitionerowithocontinuityoofoserviceoandofullobackowages.o

11.o o Iohaveoheardolearnedocounseloforotheopetitioneroandoperusedotheo paper-bookowithohisoableoassistance.oo

12.o o Itowouldobeoappositeotooreferotooaofewojudicialopronouncements,o asowouldobeogermaneotootheoissueoinohand.o

13.o o Whileo consideringo ano issueo ofo existenceo ofo relationshipo ofo employeroandoemployeeobetweenotheoparties,oinoWorkmenoofoNilgirioCoop.o Mkt.o Societyo Ltd.o v.o Stateo ofo Tamilo Naduo &o Ors.,o (2004)o 3o SCCo 514,o Hon'bleoSupremeoCourtoheldoasounder:-o "47.o Ito iso ao well-settledo principleo ofo lawo thato theo persono whoo setso upo ao pleao ofo existenceo ofo relationshipoofoemployeroandoemployee,otheoburdeno wouldobeouponohim.oo

48.oInoN.C.oJohnov.oSecretaryoThodupuzhaoTaluko Shopo ando Commercialo Establishmento Workers'o UnionoandoOthers,o1973oLICo398,otheoKeralaoHigho Courtoheldo:oo "Theoburdenoofoproofobeingoonotheoworkmeno too establisho theo employer-employeeo relationshipoanoadverseoinferenceocannotobeo drawnoagainstotheoemployerothatoifoheowereo

to produce books of accounts they would have proved employer-employee relationship."

¶49In Swapan Das Gupta and Others. v. The First Labour Court of West Bengal and Others, 1975 LIC 202, it has been held : "Where a person asserts that he was a workmen of the Company, and it is denied by the company, it is for him to prove the fact. It is not for the Company to prove that he was not an employee of the Company but of some other person."

¶50The question whether the relationship between the parties is one of the employer and employee is a pure question of fact and ordinarily the High Court while exercising its power of judicial review shall not interfere therewith unless the finding is manifestly or obviously erroneous or perverse…"

In Kirloskar Brothers Limited v. Ramcharan 2023(1) SCC 463, Hon'ble Supreme Court held as under:- "4.5 Thus, as observed and held by this Court, neither Section 10 of the CLRA Act nor any other provision in the Act, expressly or by necessary implication, provides for automatic absorption of contract labour on issuing a notification by the appropriate Government under sub-section (1) of Section 10, prohibiting employment of contract labour, in any process, operation or any other work in any establishment and consequently, the principal employer cannot be required to order absorption of the contract labour working in the establishment concerned. It has further been observed and held by this Court in the aforesaid decision that on issuance of prohibition notification under Section 10(1) of the High Court, Chandigarh

CLRA Act, prohibiting employment of contract labour or otherwise, in case of an industrial dispute brought before it by any contract labour in regard to conditions of service, the industrial adjudicator will have to consider the question whether the contractor has been interposed either on the ground of having undertaken to produce any given result for the establishment or for supply of contract labour for work of the establishment under a genuine contract or is a mere ruse/camouflage to evade compliance with various beneficial legislations so as to deprive the workers of the benefits thereunder.

4.6 In the present case, neither any notification under Section 10(1) of the CLRA Act has been issued prohibiting the contract labour, nor there are allegations and/or even findings that the contract is sham and bogus and/or camouflage. xxx

xxx

xxx

4.8 Applying the law laid down by this Court in the aforesaid two decisions to the facts of the case on hand and in the absence of any notification under Section 10 of the CLRA Act and in the absence of any allegations and/or findings that the contract was sham and camouflage, both the Industrial Tribunal as well as the High Court have committed a serious error in reinstating the contesting respondents and directing the appellant - principal employer to absorb them as their employees. The parties shall be governed by the CLRA Act and relief, if any, could have been granted under the provisions of the CLRA Act and not under the MPIR Act.

14.

Further, while considering an issue as to whether the workman had completed 240 days of work under the management in terms of section 25B, so as to attract provisions of section 25F of the Industrial Disputes Act, High Court, Chandigarh

1947, in the case of Surendranagar District Panchayat v. Dahyabhai Amarsinh, 2005(8) SCC 750, Hon'ble Supreme Court held as under:- "9. To attract the provisions of Section 25F, one of the conditions required is that the workman is employed in any industry for a continuous period which would not be not less than one year. Section 25B of the Act defines continuous service for the purposes of Chapter V-A "Lay-off and Retrenchment". The purport of this Section is that if a workman has put in an uninterrupted service of the establishment, including the service which may be interrupted on account of sickness, authorised leave, an accident, a strike which is not illegal, a lock-out or cessation of work, that is not due to any fault on the part of the workman, shall be said to be a continuous service, for that period. Thus the workman shall be said to be in continuous service for one year i.e., 12 months irrespective of the number of days he has actually worked with interrupted service, permissible under Section 25B. However, the workmen must have been in service during the period, i.e., not only on the date when he actually worked but also on the days he could not work under the circumstances set out in sub-section

(1). The workman must be in the employment of the employer concerned on the days he has actually worked but also on the days on which he has not worked. The import of sub-section (1) of Section 25B is that the workman should be in the employment of the employer for the continuous, uninterrupted period for one year except the period the absence is permissible as mentioned hereinabove. Sub-section

(2) of Section 25B introduces the fiction to the effect that even if the workman is not in continuous service High Court, Chandigarh

within the meaning of Clause (i) of Section 25B for the period of one year or six months he shall be deemed to be in continuous service for that period under an employer if he has actually worked for the days specified in clauses (a) and (b) of sub-section

(2). By the legal fiction of sub-section 2(a) (i), the workman shall be deemed to be in continuous service for one year if he is employed underground in a mine for 190 days or 240 days in any other case. Provisions of the Section postulate that if the workman has put in at least 240 days with his employer, immediately prior to the date of retrenchment, he shall be deemed to have served with the employer for a period of one year to get the benefit of Section 25F.

¶10For the purposes of calculation of number of days worked by the employee, by fiction his days of absence from work have been included if the workman has been laid off under an agreement or as permitted by Standing Orders made under the Industrial Employment (Standing Orders) Act 1946 (20 of 1946), or under the Industrial Disputes Act 1947, or in any other law applicable to the industrial establishment; (ii) has been on leave with full wages, earned in the previous year; (iii) has been absent due to temporary disablement caused by accident arising out of and in the course of employment ; and (iv) has been on maternity leave, in case the employee is a female, however, that the total number of such maternity leave does not exceed 12 weeks. xxx

xxx

xxx

¶19In the light of the aforesaid, it was necessary for the workman to produce the relevant material to prove that he has actually worked with the employer High Court, Chandigarh

for not less than 240 days during the period twelve calendar months preceding the date of termination. What we find is that apart from the oral evidence the workman has not produced any evidence to prove the fact that he has worked for 240 days. No proof of receipt of salary or wages or any record or order in that regard was produced; no co-worker was examined; muster roll produced by the employer has not been contradicted. It is improbable that workman who claimed to have worked with the appellant for such a long period would not possess any documentary evidence to prove nature of his engagement and the period of work he had undertaken with his employer. Therefore, we are of the opinion that the workman has failed to discharge his burden that he was in employment for 240 days during the preceding 12 months of the date of termination of his service. The Courts below have wrongly drawn an adverse inference for non production of the record of the workman for ten years. The scope of enquiry before the Labour Court was confined to only 12 months preceding the date of termination to decide the question of continuation of service for the purpose of Section 25F of the Industrial Disputes Act. The workman has never contended that he was regularly employed in the Panchayat for one year to claim the uninterrupted period of service as required under Section 25B(1) of the Act. In the fact and situation and in the light of the law on the subject, we find that the workman-respondent is not entitled for the protection or compliance of Section 25F of the Act before his service was terminated by the employer. As regards non-compliance of Sections 25G and 25H suffice is to say that witness Vinod Mishra examined by the High Court, Chandigarh appellant has stated that no seniority list was maintained by the department of daily wagers. In the absence of regular employment of the workman, the appellant was not expected to maintain seniority list of the employees engaged on daily wages and in the absence of any proof by the respondent regarding existence of the seniority list and his so called seniority no relief could be given to him for non-compliance of provisions of the Act. The Courts could have drawn adverse inference against the appellant only when seniority list was proved to be in existence and then not produced before the Court. In order to entitle the Court to draw inference unfavourable to the party, the Court must be satisfied that evidence is in existence and could have been proved…"o &8'o o !omin$otootheocaseoinohandtiotheo-ribunalo1ideotheoimpu$nedo awardo datedo %&'(&'2(2%o (Anne)ureo P-%)o haso returnedo theo followin$o findin$s?-o C,.#o 3noappreciationoofotheoe%idenceoledobyobothotheo partiesoandoafterohearin"otheori%alocontentionsoofolearnedo ('soforotheoparties,otheopositionowhichoemer"esoisothatoitoiso theocaseoofoclaimantothatosheowasoappointedoasoCMazdoor6o byotheorespondentsoinotheo'eser%eoForesto(reaoofo)alwaloino theoyearo2 +oandosheohadoworkedocontinuouslyotillo(u"usto 2 ,-o ando thereaftero hero ser%iceso wereo terminatedo byo respondentso ino ano ille"alo ando arbitraryo manner#o 3no theo othero hand,o accordin"o too theo respondents,o claimanto waso ne%eroen"a"edodirectlyobyotheorespondents#o9heohadone%ero beeno appointedo ono anyo sanctionedo post#o 'athero sheo hado workedowithotheorespondentsoeitherothrou"hocontractorsooro throu"ho 5illa"eo Foresto &ommittees#o 'espondentso alsoo claimedo thato theo claimanto hado noto workedo witho theo respondentso foro ao periodo ofo 240o dayso precedingo theo 12o calendaromonthsofromotheodateoofoheroallegedotermination.o o o Itoisowellosettledolawothatotheoonusoofoprovingotheo relationshipo ofo employeeo ando employero ando continuouso workingo ofo 240o dayso duringo 12o calendaro monthso immediatelyo precedingotheodateoofo illegalo terminationoofo service,oliesouponotheoclaimant.o

15.otoo20.o xxxo o xxxo o xxxo

21.oo Inoviewoofotheoaboveodiscussedolegaloposition,onowo ito iso too beo seeno whethero theo claimanto haso succeededo too proveotheorelationshipoofoemployeeoandoemployerobetweeno hero&otheorespondentsoandowhetherosheohadoworkedowitho respondentsoforo240odaysoinoprecedingo12ocalenderomonthso fromotheoallegedodateoofoterminationoofoheroserviceobyotheo respondents.oThisoCourtofindsothatoapartofromoheroownooralo testimonyoasoWW1,oclaimantohasonotoproducedoanyoothero cogento ando satisfactoryo oralo oro documentaryo evidenceo whichocouldoproveotheofactothatosheowasoeveroengagedobyo theo respondentso aso ao mustero rollo dailyo labourero oro otherwiseoworkedowithorespondentsoonodailyowagesosinceo yearo 2005o tillo Augusto 2016o oro thato sheo hado workedo continuouslyoforoaoperiodoofo240odaysoinoaoyearoprecedingo dateo ofo hero allegedo terminationo byo theo respondents.o Noo doubtothatoclaimantohasoalsooexaminedooneootherowitnesso VikramoS/ooSatbiroSingh,ohoweveroheoisoaoformalowitnesso fromotheoofficeoofoD.F.O.oPalwalowhoohadoproducedotheo summonedo record.o Noo appointmento letter,o wageso slipo oro recordo ofo engagemento ofo claimanto byo theo Foresto Departmentohasobeenoproducedoonorecordobyotheoclaimant.o Itoisoimprobableothatoclaimantowhoohasoclaimedothatosheo hadoworkedowithotheorespondentsoforosuchoaolongoperiodo wouldo noto possesso anyo documentaryo proofo ofo hero engagementoandoperiodoofoworkosheohadounderotakenowitho heroemployer.oEvenonooco-workerohasobeenoexaminedobyo theoclaimantoinosupportoofoheroclaim.oStatementoofoclaimanto ino theo shapeo ofo affidavito Ex.WW1/Ao cannoto beo heldo sufficientoevidenceotoocomeotootheoconclusionothatoclaimanto wasoengagedobyotheorespondentsoinotheoyearo1990oorothato heo hado workedo continuouslyo witho theo respondentso tillo Augusto 2016.o Workmano duringo hero cross-examinationo admittedo thato sheo iso noto havingo anyo identityo cardo oro appointmentoletteroissuedobyotheodepartmento(Forest).oSheo furtherostatedothatosheowasonotoappointedoonoanyopostobyo theo Foresto Department.o However,o sheo voluntarilyo statedo thatosheohadoworkedoasoao"Mazdoor".oSheofurtheroadmittedo thato sheo haso noto workedo ono anyo sanctionedo posto ino theo Department.o o o Onotheootherohandorespondentsohaveoprovedodetailso ofoattendanceorecordoofoclaimantofromoyearo2014-2015otillo yearo 2016-17o (preparedo aso pero casho book)o alongwitho copiesoofocashobookoasoEx.R2o&oEx.R3.oAoperusaloofotheo sameo revealso thato presento claimanto hado workedo witho respondentsobetweenoperiodoDecembero2014otilloDecembero 2016oeitherothroughocontractorsoorothroughoVillageoForesto Committees.oSheohadoneveroworkedocontinuouslyoforo240o daysoinoanyoyear.o o o Itohasobeenoprovedoonorecordofromotheoevidenceoledo byo theo respondentso thato aftero yearo 2003o aso pero theo directionso ofo Haryanao Government,o ao pieceo rateo ofo contracto systemo waso adoptedo byo theo Foresto Departmento ando theo worko waso beingo executedo eithero througho contractorso oro througho Villageo Foresto Committees.o Necessaryo entrieso wereo beingo madeo byo theo Foresto Departmentoinotheocashobookoafteromakingopaymentoasopero theo detailso submittedo byo theo contractors/Villageo Foresto Committees.o Thereo iso nothingo ono recordo too suggesto thato attendanceorecordoofoclaimantoproducedobyorespondentsoiso falseo ando fabricated.o Hence,o thereo iso noo reasono too

22.o Inoviewoofomyoaboveodetailedodiscussion,othisoCourto considersothatotheoevidenceoledobyotheolady-workeroisonotoato allo sufficiento too proveo hero case/claim.o Lady-workero haso failedo too produceo anyo cogento ando satisfactoryo evidenceo whicho couldo proveo thato sheo waso engagedo byo theo respondentso aso dailyo wageo labourero aso pero mustero rollso systemoinoyearo2005oandoworkedotilloAugusto2016.oClaimanto hasofailedotooproveothatothereowasorelationshipoofoemployeeo andoemployerobetweenotheoclaimantoandorespondents.oSheo hasoalsoofailedotooproveothatosheohadoworkedocontinuouslyo foro ao periodo ofo 240o dayso ino twelveo calendaro monthso precedingo theo dateo ofo hero allegedo terminationo byo theo respondents.oThus,osheoisonotoentitledotootheoprotectionoofo Sectiono25-FoofotheoI.D.o Act.o Accordingly,o issueoNo.1oiso decidedoagainstotheoclaimantoandoinofavourooforespondentso ando issueo no.2o iso decidedo ino favouro ofo respondentso ando againstotheoclaimant."oo

16.o o AoperusaloofotheoaboveoextractedofindingsoofoTribunalowouldo makeo ito evidento thato theopetitioner-workmano failedotoodischargeo theoonuso placedo upono hero ofo provingo employee-employero relationshipo noro ito waso provedothatotheopetitioner-workmanohadocompletedo240odaysoworkounderotheo Managemento ino termso ofo sectiono 25Bo ofo 1947o Act,o soo aso too attracto theo provisionsoofosectiono25Foofotheo1947oAct.oNooappointmentoletterooroproofoofo receipto ofo salaryo oro wageso oro anyo recordo ofo engagemento byo Foresto Departmentosinceo2005otilloAugust,o2016ooroanyoorderoinothatoregardowaso produced;oevenonooco-workerohasobeenoexaminedobyopetitioner-workmanoino supportoofohisoclaim.oRather,otheopetitioner-workmanohadoadmittedoinohiso cross-examinationothatoneitheroanyoidentityocardonoroanyoappointmentolettero wasoissuedobyoForestoDepartment.oThus,oonceotheopetitioner-workmanohado failedo too proveo employee-employero relationshipo ando /o oro thato heo hado completedo240odaysoworkounderotheoManagement,onooreliefocouldohaveobeeno grantedotooher.o

17.o o Asoregardsotheopleaoofotheopetitionerothatoadverseoinferenceobeo drawnoagainstorespondent-departmentoforonotoproducingoMusteroRolls,oitoiso observedothatoapartofromotheobareopleaoofonon-productionoofomusterorollobyo respondent-department;othereoisonoopleaoofotheopetitionerothatorespondent-departmentohasosuppressedotheorelevantorecord.oInotheoabsenceoofosuchopleaoofo suppression,o noo adverseo inferenceo cano beo drawno againsto respondent-department.o Ino thiso regard,o referenceo cano beo madeo too theo judgmento ofo Hon'bleo Apexo Courto ino R.M.o Yellattio v.o Theo Asst.o Executiveo Engineer,o 2005(4)oS.C.T.o695,owhereinoitohasobeenoheldoasounder:o "15.o…oTheoaboveodecisionsohoweveromakeoitoclearothato mereo affidavitso oro self-servingo statementso madeo byo theo claimant/workmano willo noto sufficeo ino theo mattero ofo dischargeoofotheoburdenoplacedobyolawoonotheoworkmanotoo proveothatoheohadoworkedoforo240odaysoinoaogivenoyear.oTheo aboveo judgmentso furthero layo downo thato mereo non-productiono ofo mustero rollso pero seo withouto anyo pleao ofo suppressiono byo theo claimanto workmano willo noto beo theo groundo foro theo tribunalo too drawo ano adverseo inferenceo againstotheomanagement.oLastly,otheoaboveojudgmentsolayo downo theo basico principle,o namely,o thato theo Higho Courto underoArticleo226oofotheoConstitutionowillonotointerfereowitho theo concurrento findingso ofo facto recordedo byo theo labouro courtounlessotheyoareoperverse.oThisoexerciseowillodependo uponofactsoofoeachocase…"o

18.o o Itoisotriteothatothisocourt,oinosuchomatters,oexercisesocertiorario jurisdiction,o theo peripherieso ofo whicho stando authoritativelyo delineatedoooooooooooooooooo inoSyedoYakoobov.oK.oS.oRadhakrishnan,oAIRo1964oSupremeoCourto477o:o "7.oTheooquestionoaboutootheoolimitsooofootheojurisdictionoofo

High Courts in issuing a writ of certiorari under Article 226 has been frequently considered by this Court and the true legal position in that behalf is no longer in doubt. A writ of certiorari can be issued for correcting errors of jurisdiction committed by inferior courts or tribunals: these are cases where orders are passed by inferior courts or tribunals without jurisdiction, or is in excess of it, or as a result of failure to exercise jurisdiction. A writ can similarly be issued where in exercise of jurisdiction conferred on it, the Court or Tribunal acts illegally or improperly, as for instance, it decides a question without giving an opportunity to be heard, to the party affected by the order, or where the procedure adopted in dealing with the dispute is opposed to principles of natural justice. There is, however, no doubt that the jurisdiction to issue a writ of certiorari is a supervisory jurisdiction and the Court exercising it is not entitled to act as an Appellate Court. This limitation necessarily means that findings of fact reached by the inferior Court or Tribunal as result of the appreciation of evidence cannot be reopened or questioned in writ proceedings. An error of law which is apparent on the face of the record can be corrected by a writ, but not an error of fact, however grave it may appear to be. In regard to finding of fact recorded by the Tribunal, a writ of certiorari can be issued if it is shown that in recording the said finding, the Tribunal had erroneously refused to admit admissible and material evidence, or had erroneously admitted inadmissible evidence which has influenced the impugned finding. Similarly, if a finding of fact is based on no evidence, that would be regarded as an error of law which can be corrected by a writ of certiorari. In dealing with this category of cases, however, we must always bear in mind that a finding of fact recorded by the Tribunal High Court, Chandigarh

cannot be challenged in proceedings for a writ of certiorari on the ground that the relevant and material evidence adduced before the Tribunal was insufficient or inadequate to sustain the impugned finding. The adequacy or sufficiency of evidence led on a point and the inference of fact to be drawn from the said finding are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Tribunal, and the said points cannot be agitated before a writ Court. It is within these limits that the jurisdiction conferred on the High Courts under Article 226 to issue a writ of certiorari can be legitimately exercised.

¶8It is, of course, not easy to define or adequately describe what an error of law apparent on the face of the record means. What can be corrected by a writ has to be an error of law; it must be such an error of law as can be regarded as one which is apparent on the face of the record. Where it is manifest or clear that the conclusion of law recorded by an inferior Court or Tribunal is based on an obvious mis-interpretation of the relevant statutory provision, or sometimes in ignorance of it, or may be, even in disregard of it, or is expressly founded on reasons which are wrong in law, the said conclusion can be corrected by a writ of certiorari. In all these cases, the impugned conclusion should be so plainly inconsistent with the relevant statutory provision that no difficulty is experienced by the High Court in holding that the said error of law is apparent on the face of the record. It may also be that in some cases, the impugned error of law may not be obvious or patent on the face of the record as such and the Court may need an argument to discover the said error; but there can be no doubt that what can be corrected by a writ of certiorari is an error of law and the said error must, on the whole, be of such a character as would satisfy the test that it is an error of law High Court, Chandigarh apparent on the face of the record. If a statutory provision is reasonably capable of two constructions and one construction has been adopted by the inferior Court or Tribunal, its conclusion may not necessarily or always be open to correction by a writ of certiorari. In our opinion, it neither possible nor desirable to attempt either to define or to describe adequately all cases of errors which can be appropriately described as errors of law apparent on the face of the record. Whether or not an impugned error is an error of law and an error of law which is apparent on the face of the record, must always depend upon the facts and circumstances of each case and upon the nature and scope of the legal provision which is alleged to have been misconducted or contravened."o &='o o Bponoconsiderin$otheofactsoandocircumstancesoofothisocaseoando alsootheofindin$soreturnedob*otheolearnedo"ndustrialo-ribunaloinotheoli$htoofo theole$alopositionoindicatedoabo1e#o"odoonotofindoan*oille$alit*ooroinfirmit*o withotheoimpu$nedoawardodatedo%&'(&'2(2%o(Anne)ureoP-%)#owhichoma*ocallo foro an*o interferenceo b*o thiso !ourt#o whileo e)ercisin$o itso writo 5urisdiction'o Accordin$l*#otheoinstantowritopetitionoisodismissedoinolimine'o 2('o o +oootheropointohasobeenour$ed'o 2&'o o Allopendin$oapplication/s#oifoan*#oshalloalsoostandoclosed'o o thAugust 4 , 2023 (HARSH BUNGER) Gurpreet/Apurva/Himani JUDGE