IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HON'BLE THE ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE MR.J.B.KOSHY & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON MONDAY, THE 5TH JANUARY 2009 / 15TH POUSHA 1930 WA.No. 1049 of 2008() ---------------------------------- AGAINST THE JUDGEMENT/ORDER IN OP.27513/1999 .................... APPELLANT(S): PETITIONERS ------------------------- 1. THE DIRECTOR, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SPICES RESEARCH, CHELAVOOR, KOZHIKODE. 2. THE FARM SUPERINTENDENT, INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SPICES RESEARCH, PERUVANNAMUZHI, QUILANDY TALUK, KOZHIKODE. BY ADV. SRI.P.JACOB VARGHESE (SR.) SRI.VIVEK VARGHESE P.J. SRI.VARUGHESE M EASO SMT.PRAISHEEL PRAKASAM SMT.ELEZEBETH MEERA SRI.P.J.VINOD JOSEPH RESPONDENT(S): RESPONDENTS -------------------------- 1. LABOUR COURT,KOZHIKODE. 2. THE SECRETARY, KERALA STATE KARSHAKA THOZHILALI UNION, KOZHIKODE JILLA COMMITTEE, CH SMARAKA MANDIRAM, KOZHIKODE. 3. T.P.DAMODARAN, THEKKEPERUVANNARA METHAL HOUSE, CHERUVANNOOR P.O, MEPPAYUR VIA, CALICUT. 4. M.P.PADMANABHAN, MELAPOYIL VEEDU, NOCHADU P.O, NADUVANNUR VIA, CALICUT. 5. K.M.SANKARAN, KUYYANDAMADATHIL, THUNDARAPARA, KAYENNA, KOZHIKODE. W.A. NO.1049/2008 * 6. (C.K.MOHANAN, CHATHANKANDIKUNNIYIL HOUSE, MUTHUKODE P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI VIA, CALICUT).(DELETED A/W R39 7. K.K.RAJAN, MEYORKUNNUMEL VEEDU, PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O, CALICUT. 8. P.A.BINOY, PUTHIYADATHU VEEDU, PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O., CALICUT. 9. T.C.ANDREWS, THAYYIL VEEDU, MUTHUKKAD P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 10. V.K.MADHAVAN, THACHELI VEEDU, KOOTHALI POST, PERAMBRA VIA. 11. K.A.JOSEPH, KOLLAKUNNEL HOUSE, MUTHUKKAD P.O, PERUVANNAMUZHI. 12. E.AJITHKUMAR, ELAMPILAVIL VEEDU, KAVIL P.O, NADAVANNUR P.O., KOZHIKODE. 13. V.P.MOHANAN, VARAPPARATH HOUSE, KADIYANGAD POST, PERAMBRA VIA, CALICUT. 14. N.SAJEEVAN, MUDUKANDI HOUSE, KADIYANGAD PO, PERABRA VIA, CALICUT. 15. M.MUKUNDAN, MURIPURACKAL, KADIYANGAD PO, PERAMBRA VIA, CALICUT. 16. JOHNSON GEORGE, THAYYIL HOUSE, MADHAKODE P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 17. K.P.NARAYANAN, KUZHIPARAMBIL VEEDU, KADIYANGAD POST, PERAMBRA, CALICUT. 18. K.BALAN, NADUKKANDI, KADIYANGAD, PERAMBRA, CALICUT. 19. VIJAYAN MEETHELAPALAYATE, SOUHRUDHA HOUSE, KOOTHALI P.O, PERAMBRA, CALICUT. 20. K.RAJAN, KIZHAKKAYIL HOUSE, PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 21. SOMAN.P, PARIYARATH HOUSE, PERAMBRA PO, CALICUT. 22. K.PADMANABHAN, CAPPIYIL HOUSE, KADIYANGADU POST, PERAMBRA ,CALICUT. W.A. NO.1049/2008 23. T.P.RAGHAVAN, THEKKEPARAMBIL VEEDU, KOTHIYAPARA, PERUVANNAMUZHI PO, CALICUT. 24. K.K.KUNJIRAMAN, PANNIKOTTUR HASIJAN COLONY, CHEMBANODU PO, PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 25. A.V.KARUNAKARAN, AMBALAPARAMBIL HOUSE, PERUVANNAMUZHI PO, PERAMBRA, CALICUT. 26. T.KANARAN, THACHARATH HOUSE, PERUVANNAMUZHI PO, PERAMBRA, CALICUT. 27. M.P.MURALEEDHARAN, MADAPARAMBIL VEEDU, THANDORAPPARA PO, PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 28. K.P.THOMAS, KOMATTATHIL HOUSE,MUTHUKKAD P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 29. T.S.RAVINDRAN, THANDASSERIYIL VEEDU, PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O, PERAMBRA, CALICUT. 30. T.K.PADMANABHAN, THIRIKKODUMMAL HOUSE, KADIYANGAD P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 31. K.DEVADASAN, KARAYULLATHIL HOUSE, AVADUKKA POST, PERUVANNAMUZHI, CALICUT. 32. V.RADHAKRISHNAN, VAZHAYIL, PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O, CALICUT. 33. K.M.SUDHEER, KAYAMANNIL HOUSE, CHANIYAMKADAVU PO, VADAKARA, CALICUT. 34. K.K.BBALAN, KARUVARAKUNNUMMAL HOUSE, CHEMPANODU P.O. PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O. CALICUT. 35. P.O.FRANCIS, PUTHIYEDATH HOUSE, PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O. CALICUT. 36. K.SHANMUGHAN, KAMMADATH HOUSE, PANNIKKOTTUR COLONY, CHEMPANODA P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O., CALICUT. 37. K.SATHEESAN, KARAYULLATHIL HOUSE AVADEKKA P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O. CALICUT. 38. K.J.SHEELAS, KAKKATHURETHIL, MUTHUKODE P.O., PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O. CALICUT. W.A. NO.1049/2008 *39 ( K.K.SASENDRAN, KOLLANKANDY HOUSE, PANNIKKOTTUR COLONY, CHEMPANODA P.O. PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O. CALICUT.) DELETED A/W R6 *DELETED R6 AND R9 RESPONDENT S R6 AND R39 ARE DELETED FROM RESPONDENT ARRAY AS PER ORDER DT. 22.8.08 INIA.736/2008 40. C.GANGADHARAN, CHEROTH HOUSE, CHERUVANNUR, MEPPAYUR, CALCUT. 41 T.V.BALAKRISHNAN, NADUKANDIYIL VEEDU, KODYIANGADU POST, PERABRA VIA, CALICUT. 42. N.APPUKUTTY PANICKER , NAMBRATHUMMEL VEEDU, PERUVANNAMUZHI , MADIYANCHALIL, CALICUT. 43. K.KUNJIRAMAN, KILACHAPARAMBIL HOUSE, PERUVANNAMUZHI , CALICUT. 44. P.V.SURESH, PUTHENVEETTIL HOUSE, PERUVANNAMUZHI P.O., CALICUT. 45. N.BALAN, NIRAVATH HOUSE, KALPATHUR POST, MEPPAYUR , CALICUT. ADV. SRI.K.BALACHANDRAN (MANAGALATH) SRI.BIJOY CHANDRAN SRI.P.V.KUNHIKRISHNAN FOR R2 GOVERNMENT PLEADER SMT.K.MEERA SRI.K.P.SUDHEER FOR R12 SRI.V.C.MADHAVANKUTTY FOR R12 SRI.K.M.FIROZ FOR R5 SRI.K.BALACHANDRAN FOR R4,8,10,11,13,14,16-18, 20-27, 29-33, 35-38 R40-41, 44, 45 SRI.RAJESH NAIR FOR R4,8,10-11,13,14,16-18, 19, 20-27 29-33, 35-38,40-41,44-45 THIS WRIT APPEAL HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 05/01/2009, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: J.B.KOSHY, Ag.C.J. & P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON, J. -------------------------------------- W.A.No.1049 of 2008 ------------------------------------- Dated 5th January, 2009 JUDGMENT Koshy, Ag.C.J . Casual workers who were employed for a long time in the appellant establishment demanded for regularisation of their service when their services were terminated due to a ban imposed on employment of casual workers. It is also stated that casual workers whenever necessary can be engaged only from the candidates proposed by the employment exchange. The demands placed by the casual workers were referred for adjudication. The Labour Court found that these workers were working for a period ranging from 2 to 14 years and whenever work was available, they were doing the work. It is also stated that casual workers were getting Rs.45/- per day whenever work was available. The operative portion of the award is as follows: “12. In the result, an award is passed holding that the denial of employment to the workmen by the management is not justified. The management is directed to reinstate them in service as casual workers within one month from the date of publication of the award in the official gazette. The workers are not entitled to any backwages. Each worker is entitled to a compensation of W.A.1049/2008 2 Rs.1000/=. The management shall pay the amount to the workmen within one month from the date of publication of this award in the official gazette failing which the workers are entitled to interest at the rate of 12% per annum from this date till realisation.” Learned single Judge in the impugned judgment refused to interfere in the matter. On going through the award, it is seen that there is no direction to regularise the workers but only to reinstate them as casual workers taking into account their long years of service. Further, there are practical difficulties also for engaging casual workers from the candidates advised by the employment exchange. Whenever casual work is being available, informing the employment exchange and getting workers will be difficult and by the time necessity of engaging casual workers will be over. It is also difficult to engage regular workers if the work is not regular and only when occasionally work arises such workers are engaged. Therefore, whenever work is there, these workers should be given employment as casual workers. No purpose will be served by substituting these casual workers working for many years by another set of casual workers. The direction is also only to reinstate as casual workers and not to regularise them. In the above circumstances, we see no ground to interfere with the award or impugned judgment. But, we clarify W.A.1049/2008 3 that only when work is available these casual workers should be engaged. If already there are casual workers, whenever casual work is available, there is no point in replacing them with other casual workers. The appeal is disposed of accordingly. J.B.KOSHY ACTING CHIEF JUSTICE P.R.RAMACHANDRA MENON JUDGE tks