IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE S.SIRI JAGAN TUESDAY, THE 15TH JANUARY 2008 / 25TH POUSHA 1929 WP(C).No. 30382 of 2007(P) -------------------------- PETITIONERS: ------------ 1. C.G.RAJENDRA BABU, CARD NO.01.06.156/93, THANNIMOOLA VEEDU, MANNANTHALA, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. (CONVENOR INTUC) 2. S.KOMALAN, CARD NO.01.06-183/93, MAVARATHALKONAM, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 3. C.MOHANAKUMAR, CARD NO.01.06-185-93 POTTAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (CONVENOR UTUC) 4. T.ANIL KUMAR, CARD NO. 01.06-188/93, THANNIMOODU VILA VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 5. SUDHAKARAN.C., CARD NO. 01.06-184/93, PLAKKOTHU POTTAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 6. T.RAVI, CARD 01.06-192/93, EDAYALLIKONAM PANAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 7. C.HARIKUMAR, CARD NO.01-06-193/93 RADHANILAYAM, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 8. A.JAYAKUMAR, CARD NO.01.06-194/93, THANNIMOODU VILA VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 9. J.AJAYAN, CARD NO.01-06-195/93. AJAY NIVAS, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. WP(C).No. 30382/2007/P -2- 10. S.SREEKANDAN, CARD NO.01.06-197/93 THENGUVILA VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 11. M.MANIKANTAN, CARD NO.01.06-201/93, POTTAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 12. V.BYJU, CARD NO.01.06-202/93. PLAKKATTU POTTAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, (CONVENOR OF BMS) 13. M.SUBASH, CARD NO.01-06-205/93, PANAYACHARA KONATHU VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 14. S.SANTHAKUMAR, CARD NO. 01.06-211/93 PLAKKATTU POTTAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 15. S.MURUGAN, CARD NO.01.06-212/93 KARUMUGHAL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 16. UNNI, CARD NO.01.06 421-93, POTTAYIL PUTHEN VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 17. V.MURUGAN, CARD NO. 01.06-423/93 POTTAYIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 18. K.JAYAKUMAR, CARD NO.01.06-426/93 RADHAKRISHNAN VILAS, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 19. B.SURESH, CARD NO.01-06-194/96 KURUNGALIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 20. MANOHARAN.K., CARD NO.01.06-123/2000 KIDANGIL VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 21. SHAJIMON.G., CARD NO.01.06-124/2000, THANNIMOODUVILA VEEDU, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. (CONVENOR OF INTUC) BY ADV. SRI.D.KISHORE SRI.U.S.GANESH KUMAR WP(C).No. 30382/2007/P -3- RESPONDENTS: ------------- 1. THE REGIONAL LABOUR COMMISSIONER, KOLLAM, (APPELLATE AUTHORITY UNDER KERALA HEAD LOAD WORKERS ACT). 2. THE DISTRICT LABOUR OFFICER, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 3. S.RAJAN, CONVENOR CITU, MANNANTHALA UNIT, MANNANTHALA P.O., THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. ADDL. 4. V.AYYAPPADAS, CONVENOR,INTUC, MANNANTHALA PRESS UNIT, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. (ADDL. R4 IS IMPLEADED AS PER ORDER DATED 30.11.2007 IN IA.15827/2007) BY ADV. GOVERNMENT PLEADER, SRI.THOMAS ABRAHAM SRI.DIPU.R SENIOR GOVERNMENT PLEADER, SMT.M.R.SREELATHA THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 15/01/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: WP(C).No.30382/2007/P APPENDIX PETITIONER'S EXHIBITS: EXT. P1: COPY OF THE ORDER NO.G.(2)548/06 DATED 28.7.2006 OF THE 2ND RESPONDENT. EXT. P2: COPY OF THE APPEAL MEMORANDUM. EXT. P3: COPY OF THE ORDER DATED 17.9.2007 IN KHLWA 04/06 OF THE 1ST RESPONDENT. RESPONDENT'S EXHIBITS: EXT. R3(A): COPY OF THE JUDGMENT DATED 9-4-2007 IN W.P.(C) NO.10719/20P07. /TRUE COPY/ P.A. TO JUDGE JP S.SIRI JAGAN, J. ======================= W.P.(C) No.30382 of 2007(P) ======================= Dated this the 15th day of January, 2008 JUDGMENT The petitioners are challenging orders passed by the authorities under the Kerala Headload Workers Act. Against Ext.P1 orders passed by DLO, Trivandrum in exercise of his powers under Section 21(2) of the Act, the petitioner filed Ext.P2 appeal, under Section 21(6) of the Kerala Headload Workers Act. The same has been disposed of by Ext.P3 order. Petitioners are challenging Exts.P1 and P3 orders. Ext.P3 order is specifically challenging on the ground that although it is stated to be passed by the Regional Joint Labour Commissioner, Kollam, the person who passed that order is only a District Labour Officer who was holding the charge of the office of the Regional Labour Commissioner, Kollam. According to the petitioners, the appellate authority is the Regional Joint Labour Commissioner and therefore he alone is the appellate authority under the Kerala Headload Workers Act and that District Labour Officer who was in W.P.(C) No.30382/2007/P -2- charge of the office cannot exercise the powers of the appellate authority under Section 21(6) of the Kerala Headload Workers Act. In the counter filed on behalf of the 1st respondent it is admitted that the person who passed the Ext.P3 order was only a District Labour Officer who was holding additional charge of the of Regional Joint Labour Commissioner, Kollam. He is of the same rank of a person who passed the Ext.P1 order. Therefore, clearly that person cannot exercise powers of appellate authority under Section 21(6). In the above circumstances, Ext.P3 order is quashed. It is submitted before me that the very same person who passed Ext.P1 order is the present Regional Joint Commissioner, Kollam. If the same is the position even today, the Government shall designate another Regional Labour Commissioner to hear Ext.P2 appeal in accordance with the provisions of the Kerala Headload Workers Act who shall dispose of Ext.P2 appeal. The Government shall designate such a person if the present Regional Joint Labour Commissioner is the person who passed the Ext.P3 orders, within a period of three weeks from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment. On receipt of the same, the appropriate Regional Joint Labour Commissioner W.P.(C) No.30382/2007/P -3- shall dispose of Ext.P2 appeal within a period of one month from the date therefrom. The interim order passed in this case shall continue to be force till then. S.SIRI JAGAN, JUDGE jp