IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE, ANDHRA PRADESH AT HYDERABAD FRIDAY, THE TWENTY FOURTH DAY OF APRIL TWO THOUSAND AND NINE PRESENT THE HON'BLE SMT JUSTICE T.MEENA KUMARI & THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE VILAS V. AFZULPURKAR WRIT APPEAL NO : 517 of 2009 (Writ Appeal under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent against the Order dated 30/12/2008 in WP NO : 26534 OF 2008 on the file of the High Court.) Between: M/s. Motor Car Beedi Factory, rep. by its Proprietor, S. Lakshmikantha Reddy, S/o. S. Narasimha Reddy Khanamanoor Village and Post, Narva Mandal, Mahaboobnagar District. ..... APPELLANT AND 1 The Controlling Authority underr Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 and Assistant Commissioner of Labour, Kurnool. 2 Chenna Krishna S/o. Balaiah P.G.No.21/2007 76/97-96, Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 3 Mythab Khan W/o. Kareem Khan P.G.No.22/2007 76/97, Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 4 O. Neelamma W/o. Devadas P.G.No.23/2007 76/97-39/6, Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 5 Bandaru Kamalamma W/o. Late Kurmanna P.G.No.24/2007 76/97/37/8, Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 6 Santhoshamma W/o. S. Prem Kumar P.G.No.25/2007 7/97/118/110 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 7 Methari Venkatamma W/o. Nagaraju P.G.No.26/2007 76/97/119/3 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 8 Dandori Devamma W/o. Ramudu P.G.No.27/2007 7/97/104/6 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 9 Munemma W/o. Kathalanna P.G.No.29/2007 76/97/119/8 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 10 Metari Venkatamma W/o. Chennappa P.G.No.30/2007 76/97/303 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 11 A. Venkatamma W/o. A. Raju P.G.No.31/2007 76/97/112/2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 12 Chandramma W/o. Kistanna P.G.No.32/2007 76/97/112/2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 13 Ameena Khatoon W/o. Rahamatulla Khan P.G.No.33/2007 76/97/108/7 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 14 Rasheeda W/o. Shahnawaz Khan P.G.No.34/2007 76/97/114/6 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 15 Sokhrabee W/o. Late Syed Miya P.G.No.35/2007 76/97/103 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 16 P. Chandra Kala W/o. P. Chinna Kondaiah P.G.No.36/2007 76/97/78 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 17 Naseera Bee W/o. Ghouse P.G.No.37/2007 76/97/108/3 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 18 Ashamma W/o. Kurmanna P.G.No.38/2007 76/97/118/10-A Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 19 Shankaramma W/o. Jayanna P.G.No.39/2007 76/97/39/9 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 20 Fareeda Bee W/o. Shaik Shavali P.G.No.40/2007 76/97/91 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 21 Narayana S/o. Dasappa P.G.No.41/2007 76/97/119/4 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 22 A. Chennamma W/o. Pentaiah P.G.No.42/2007 76/97/112/2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 23 M. Chennamma W/o. Ramachandra P.G.No.43/2007 76/97/119 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 24 S. Mallamma W/o. S. Chandraiah P.G.No.44/2007 76/97/110-2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 25 A. Savaranna S/o. A. Balappa P.G.No.45/2007 76/97/111/9 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 26 C. Linganna S/o. C. Chandraiah P.G.No.46/2007 76/97/42/9 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 27 Fatimabee W/o. Noor Ahmed P.G.No.48/2007 76/97/113/10 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 28 Mukthiyar Bee W/o. Late Ahmed Miah P.G.No.48/2007 76/97/110/2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 29 P. Kondamma W/o. P. Laxmanna P.G.No.51/2007 76/97/42/3 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 30 Shajaha W/o. Anwar Basha P.G.No.54/2007 76/97/37/28 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 31 Mary W/o. Bala Swamy P.G.No.55/2007 76/97/92 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 32 Zaithun Bee W/o. Late Basha P.G.No.56/2007 76/97/37/2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 33 Nazeerunnisa W/o. Chand Basha P.G.No.57/2007 76/97/36-2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 34 Shali Bee W/o. Abdul Rasheed P.G.No.58/2007 76/97/35/9 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 35 Choti Bee W/o. Shabber Miah P.G.No.59/2007 76/97/105-5 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 36 Naseema Bee W/o. Chand Basha P.G.No.60/2007 76/97/105 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 37 Aliya W/o. Suleman P.G.No.61/2007 76/97/70 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 38 Ananthamma W/o. Hanumanthu P.G.No.62/2007 76/97/34-4 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 39 S. Laxmi W/o. Chenna Krishna P.G.No.63/2007 76/97/96 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 40 K. Laxmi Devi W/o. Balachandra P.G.No.64/2007 76/97/42-10 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 41 N. Ratnamma W/o. N. Krishna P.G.No.64/2007 76/97/30/3-B Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 42 M. Bhagyamma W/o. Srinivasulu P.G.No.66/2007 76/97/113-1 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 43 Roshamma @ Ruthamma W/o. Ramudu P.G.No.67/2007 76/97/104/8-A Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 44 Utharamma W/o. Late Kurmanna P.G.No.68/2007 76/97/112-9 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 45 Rameswaramma W/o. Late Naganna P.G.No.70/2007 76/97/112-3 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 46 M. Thimmanna S/o. Narayana P.G.No.71/2007 76/97/94 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 47 Elishamma W/o.Devadas P.G.No.72/2007 76/97/39-10 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 48 Balamani W/o. Yellappa P.G.No.73/2007 76/97/113-1 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 49 Manemma W/o. Balakistanna P.G.No.74/2007 76/97/112-4 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 50 Zaibunnisa W/o. Mahboob Miah P.G.No.75/2007 76/97/30/4 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 51 A. Prabhavati W/o. Naganna P.G.No.77/2007 76/97/29-7 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 52 P. Laxmidevi W/o. Beesanna P.G.No.79/2007 76/97/34-3 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 53 Biya W/o. Munna P.G.No.80/2007 76/97/113-4 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 54 Sarojamma W/o. Hanumanthu P.G.No.81/2007 76/97/42 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 55 R. Laxmidevi W/o. Raja Rao P.G.No.83/2007 76/97/120-1 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 56 Hameeda Bee W/o. Razak Miah P.G.No.84/2007 76/97/74 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 57 Yerranna S/o. Narayana P.G.No.85/2007 76/97/94 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 58 Santhoshamma W/o. Kotla Kurmanna P.G.No.86/2007 76/97/97 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 59 Rangamma W/o. Pedda Yellanna P.G.No.88/2007 76/97/116 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 60 P. Kondanna S/o. P. Chennappa P.G.No.95/2007 76/97/31-6 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 61 Yellappa S/o. Late Balaiah P.G.No.97/2007 76/97/32-8 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 62 Balamani W/o. Late Elisha P.G.No.98/2007 76/97/39-10 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 63 Fatimabee W/o. Late Chand Basha P.G.No.99/2007 76/97/103 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. 64 B. Laxmamma W/o. D. Balaram P.G.No.100/2007 76/97/118-2 Indira Gandhi Colony, Kurnool. .....RESPONDENT(S) Counsel for the Appellant: SRI V.SRINIVAS Counsel for the Respondent No.: GP FOR LABOUR The Court made the following : THE HON'BLE SMT JUSTICE T.MEENA KUMARI & THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE VILAS V. AFZULPURKAR WRIT APPEAL NO :517 of 2009 JUDGMENT: (per Hon’ble Smt. Justice T.Meena Kumari) This appeal is filed aggrieved by the order, dated 30.12.2008 passed by the learned single Judge in WP No.26534 of 2008. The appellant herein filed the above writ petition challenging the orders of the 1st respondent, dated 18.10.2008 in P.G.Nos.21 to 27, 29 to 46, 48, 49, 51, 54 to 68, 70 to 75, 77, 79 to 81, 83 to 86, 88, 95 and 97 to 99 of 2007. It is the case of the petitioner that respondents 2 to 64 never worked in the factory, but however, they along with 78 other persons filed cases before the 1st respondent claiming gratuity on the ground that they were in employment of the petitioner-factory since many years, and that there is no relationship of employer-employee between them and that the 1st respondent without deciding the issue relating to the relationship of the said persons with the petitioner, passed the order dated 24.4.2008, awarding gratuity to 141 claimants and having aggrieved by the same, a writ petition No.13206 of 2008 was filed and this Court allowed the writ petition and remanded the matter to the 1st respondent for fresh disposal and subsequently, the 1st respondent, relying on Ex.A3, allowed the claim of respondents 2 to 64 while rejecting the claim of the remaining claimants. The learned single Judge on consideration of the entire matter, disposed of the writ petition with the following directions: “The petitioner is at liberty to avail the remedy of appeal available to him against the impugned order under Section 7(7) of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 before the appropriate Government. Since the petitioner contends that the impugned order is an illegal order, he is at liberty to file an application along with the appeal requesting the appellate authority to restrain respondents 2 to 64 from withdrawing the amounts to be deposited by him, for preferring the appeal. If any such application is filed, the appellate authority, in whom the substantive power of hearing and deciding the appeal is vested, may in exercise of its incidental power to grant stay of the order appealed, shall consider and pass appropriate orders thereon, restraining respondents 2 to 64 from withdrawing the amounts to be deposited by the petitioner, pending disposal of the appeal, keeping in view the fact that in the event the monies to be deposited by the petitioner, are allowed to be withdrawn, then the petitioner would be left with no remedy to recover the same from respondents 2 to 64 in the event, the petitioner succeeds in the appeal.” Having aggrieved by the same, the present appeal has been preferred. Heard the learned Counsel and perused the material available on record. The facts and circumstances of the case and the observations of the learned single Judge make it clear that the appellants without availing the remedy of appeal filed the writ petition. Therefore, we feel that the approach of the petitioner is a premature one and hence, the order of the learned single Judge does not suffer from any illegality or irregularity. At this stage, the learned Counsel for the appellant submitted that the limitation of appeal has already been over and the appellate authority may not entertain the appeal. In the facts and circumstances of the case and in view of the submissions of the learned counsel for the appellant, we feel it just and proper to modify the order of the learned single Judge with reference to the filing of appeal to the effect that the appellant shall file a statutory appeal, within a period of four weeks from today on condition of the appellant depositing Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh only). It is made clear that on compliance of the aforesaid condition, the appellate authority shall entertain the appeal, without insisting as to the limitation and further deposits and shall dispose of the same, within a period of six months thereafter, in accordance with law. Rest of the order of the learned single Judge remained undisturbed. Subject to the above direction, the writ appeal is disposed of. No order as to costs. _______________________ Justice T.Meena Kumari ___________________________ Justice Vilas V. Afzulpurkar Dated: 24th April, 2009 nn THE HON'BLE SMT JUSTICE T.MEENA KUMARI & THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE VILAS V. AFZULPURKAR WRIT APPEAL NO :517 of 2009 (Judgment of the Division Bench delivered by the Hon’ble Smt. Justice T.Meena Kumari) 24th April, 2009