The Telangana High Court has initiated contempt proceedings against key state officials, including the Chief Secretary, Special Chief Secretary, Commissioner of Labour, and Secretary Printing Press. This action comes in response to their alleged failure to revise and publish minimum wages for scheduled employment under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, as directed by the court in a previous Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
The court, consisting of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N. V. Shravan Kumar, issued a notice after hearing the petitioner's grievances and postponed the matter to allow the state authorities to present their counterarguments.
The genesis of this legal action can be traced back to October 2023 when M/s Telangana Regional Trade Union Council filed a PIL challenging the government's inaction regarding the revision of minimum wages for 73 scheduled employments listed in Part 1&2 of the Minimum Wages Act. Additionally, the PIL highlighted the non-publication of Government Orders (G.O.s) for the Five Schedule Employments.
The petitioner's counsel argued that proposals for wage revision had been pending before the State Government for an extended period, ranging from 12 to 16 years. Despite this, no concrete steps had been taken to implement revised wages. Furthermore, it was pointed out that although the State Government had issued G.O.s in 2021, prescribing revised minimum wages for five scheduled employments, these revised wages had not been published. This omission was adversely affecting nearly 47 lakh unorganized laborers.
In response to these concerns, the State Government assured the court that the relevant G.O.s would be promptly published in the Gazette. Relying on this undertaking, the Bench issued directions, instructing the State Government to take necessary actions to revise minimum wages as mandated by the Minimum Wages Act. The court specifically directed the government to publish the revised wages in the Gazette within a six-week timeframe.
However, the recent contempt notice indicates that the State Authorities may not have fulfilled their commitments as per the court's directives. The contempt proceedings were initiated on the grounds of alleged willful non-compliance with the court's order to publish minimum wages through Government Orders.
The court's decision to issue a contempt notice underscores the seriousness with which it views the issue of non-compliance. Contempt of court charges can carry significant consequences, and the court's actions indicate its determination to ensure that its orders are adhered to in a timely and effective manner.
As the legal proceedings unfold, it will be essential to monitor how the State Authorities respond to the contempt notice and whether they can provide satisfactory justifications for their alleged non-compliance with the court's directives. Additionally, the court's ultimate decision in this matter will likely have broader implications for the enforcement of labor laws and the protection of workers' rights in the state of Telangana.
TAGS: Telangana High Court Contempt notice Chief Secretary Special Chief Secretary Commissioner of Labour Secretary Printing Press
