🖨️ Print / Download PDF

Smt. Prem Mehta Vs The Presiding Officer, Labour Court No. VI and Another

Case No: Writ Petition (C) 3953 of 1999

Date of Decision: May 28, 2010

Acts Referred: Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 — Section 33C(2)

Citation: (2010) 5 SLR 58

Hon'ble Judges: Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, J

Bench: Single Bench

Advocate: Anuj Aggarwal, for the Appellant; None, for the Respondent

Final Decision: Allowed

Translate: English | हिन्दी | தமிழ் | తెలుగు | ಕನ್ನಡ | मराठी

Judgement

Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, J.@mdashThe petitioner working as a nurse in the hospital of respondent No. 2 MCD has preferred this petition with respect

to the order dated 30th March 1999 of the Labour Court dismissing the application filed by the petitioner u/s 33C(2) of the ID Act. The petitioner

vide the said application u/s 33C(2) was seeking enforcement of the award dated 13th May, 1988 published on 17th June, 1988. Vide the said

award, all the Grade ''B'' Staff Nurses working in the hospitals of the respondent MCD, who were posted against the post of Grade ''A'' Staff

Nurses and had completed three years were held entitled to the pay of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurses for the period during which they worked against

the post of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurses w.e.f. 27th June 1979 (the date of that reference). The application u/s 33C(2) was preferred by the petitioner

claiming pay/emoluments of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse for the period from 1st August, 1988 to 31st March, 1992. The Labour Court dismissed the

said application finding that there was no documentary proof on record as to since when the petitioner had been posted against the post of Grade

''A'' Staff Nurse; the Labour Court holding it to be not proved on record that the petitioner had worked against the post of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse

continuously for the period from 1st August, 1988 to 31st March, 1992, dismissed the application holding her not entitled to the amount claimed.

2. Aggrieved therefrom the present petition was preferred. Notice of the petition was issued to the respondent MCD who has filed a counter

affidavit. The petition from time to time was ordered to be listed along with W.P.(C) No. 2521/1988 filed by the respondent MCD impugning the

award dated 13th May, 1988 (supra) in enforcement whereof the application u/s 33C(2) was filed. W.P.(C) No. 2521/1988 has been dismissed

vide order dated 20th April, 2010 reported as Management of Municipal Corporation of Delhi Vs. Delhi Admninistration and Others .

3. The counsel for the petitioner has contended that the order dismissing the application of the petitioner u/s 33C(2) is perverse. It is shown from

the award dated 13th May, 1988 itself that it is recorded therein that the petitioner had joined the services as Grade ''B'' Staff Nurse w.e.f. 4th

May 1964 and was posted against the post of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse. It is further contended that since the award directed payment w.e.f. 27th

June, 1979, the petitioner had prior to the application u/s 33C(2) which has been dismissed vide order impugned in this petition, also filed an

application u/s 33C(2) for the period from 27th June, 1979 to 31st July, 1988 and which was registered as LCA No. 228/1988 decided on 1st

March 1990. A perusal of the said order shows that the MCD in that proceeding had submitted a statement showing a sum of Rs. 33,782.62/- to

be due to the petitioner under the award, for that period and which figure was accepted by the petitioner and the petitioner was accordingly held

entitled to the said sum of Rs. 33,782.62/- for the period upto 31st July, 1988.

4. I have perused the reply filed by the respondent MCD to the application u/s 33C(2) which has been dismissed. There is no plea therein that the

petitioner after 31st July, 1988 had been removed from the post of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse and/or relegated to Grade ''B'' Staff Nurse and

performing duties of a Grade ''B'' Staff Nurse. The same is even otherwise highly unlikely.

5. I also find that the petitioner in the application u/s 33C(2) itself which has been dismissed had stated that she had recovered the emoluments of

Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse from June, 1979 to 31st July, 1988. The petitioner had also led evidence to the said effect. All the said relevant factors

have been totally ignored by the Labour Court. The Labour Court put undue emphasis on the statement in the cross-examination of the petitioner

to the effect that she could not give the date, month or year from which she had been working as Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse. In view of the respondent

MCD in the earlier Section 33C(2) proceeding having not disputed that the petitioner, under the award dated 13th May, 1988, was entitled to

emoluments of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse and further having computed the said emoluments and paid the same to the petitioner, in fact no trial

whatsoever was necessary. The order dated 30th March, 1999 is thus found perverse and contrary to the record.

6. The petition is thus allowed, the order dated 30th March, 1999 dismissing the application of the petitioner u/s 33C(2) for emoluments of Grade

''A'' Staff Nurse for the period of 1st August, 1988 to 31st March, 1992 is set aside and the application u/s 33C(2) is allowed and the petitioner is

held entitled to the emoluments of Grade ''A'' Staff Nurse from 1st August, 1988 to 31st March, 1992. The petitioner had claimed the sum of Rs.

61,850/- to be so due to her. The said amount has not been controverted. Accordingly, the respondent MCD is directed to pay the said amount of

Rs. 61,850/- to the petitioner together with interest at the rate of 7% per annum from 30th March, 1999 till the date of payment within six weeks

of today. No order as to costs.