IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.9075 of 2006 NAWAL KISHORE SINGH, SON OF LATE GORAKH SINGH, RESIDENT OF VILLAGE AND P.O. BHATAUNA P.S. KARJA, DIST. MUZAFFARPUR. Versus 1. THE STATE OF BIHAR DY LABOUR COMMISSIONER, MUZAFFARPUR. 2. ASSISTANT LABOUR COMMISSIONER, MUZAFFARPUR. 3. SRI MAHESH MAHTO SON OF LATE SAKAL MAHTO, P.S. KARJA, DIST. MUZAFFARPUR. 4. DY. LABOUR COMMISIOENR CUM APPELLATE AUTHORITY UNDER MINIMUM WAGES ACT, MUZAFFARPUR. ----------- 05. 20.05.2011 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner employer and the counsel for the worker, respondent no.3. 2. Petitioner owner of a fertilizer shop and employer of respondent no.3 is aggrieved by the order dated 14.9.2005, Annexure-2 passed by the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Muzaffarpur cum authority under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948(hereinafter referred to as the Act) whereunder claim of respondent no.3 for payment of minimum wages for the period between January, 2002 to February, 2005 has been allowed holding that petitioner paid respondent no.3 wage less than what was notified and he is required to pay respondent no.3 Rs.6,066/- towards arrears of wage and Rs.48,528/- paid as compensation. Appeal filed by 2 the petitioner against the aforesaid order has also been disposed of under orders dated 9.5.2006, Annexure-1, reducing the amount of compensation from Rs.42462/- to Rs.24,264/- and thereby the amount payable has also been reduced to Rs.30,330/-. 3. Counsel for the petitioner has challenged the aforesaid two orders on the ground that the Act is not applicable to a shop situate in village. Aforesaid contention does not appear to have any merit in view of the charging provision of the Act, which is applicable to cities and villages alike. A worker, may be serving in the village or town, he is entitled to get minimum wage fixed under the Act from his employer, if such wage is not paid forum is available under the Act for ventilating the grievances under the Act. Counsel for the petitioner then submitted that the amount of compensation may be reduced. The appellate authority having already reduced the amount of compensation from Rs.42,462/- to Rs.30,330/- I am not inclined to even reduce the amount of compensation. The writ petition is dismissed. Rajesh/ ( V. N. Sinha, J.)