HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI ANIL R. DAVE & HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE T. MEENA KUMARI WRIT PETITION Nos.23400 & 25197 of 2006 & 17606 of 2007 Dated: 17.1.2008 Between: Mahaboobnagar District Palamoori Contract Labour Union, Regd. No.A-1868, rep., by its Member Smt. Manikyamma, W/o Pool Singh, R/o Damaralla Thanda, Hamlet of Ankilla Village, Koilkonda Mandal, Mahaboobnagar District & others. .. Petitioners Vs. 1. Government of A.P., rep., by its Principal Secretary, Revenue Department, Secretariat, Hyderabad and others. ..Respondents. HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI ANIL R. DAVE & HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE T. MEENA KUMARI WRIT PETITION Nos.23400 & 25197 of 2006 & 17606 of 2007 COMMON ORDER: (Per Hon’ble the Chief Justice) These are the petitions wherein it has been submitted that about 280 persons are working as bonded labourers and no action has been taken by the concerned authority. It has been pleaded in the petitions that action should be taken against the concerned persons in accordance with the provisions of Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976. Since the issue involved in all these writ petitions is one and the same, the writ petitions are disposed of by this common order. In pursuance of notice issued by this Court, Sri A. Satya Prasad, learned Special Government Pleader for Government Authorities has drawn our attention to the reply filed by the Principal Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department stating that in a survey made by the concerned authority, it was found that about 1401 bonded labourers were found in about 11 districts named in paragraph 8 of the counter-affidavit filed by Shri Ajoyendra Pyal, Principal Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department, Hyderabad. From the counter-affidavit filed by the authority, it is clear that about 1400 persons were found as bonded labourers. It has been stated in the aforesaid counter-affidavit that the concerned District Collectors have already been instructed to conduct a survey of all bonded labourers in the respective Districts and to see that they are properly rehabilitated. In pursuance of the aforesaid counter-affidavit filed on behalf of the Principal Secretary to Government, Social Welfare Department, in our opinion, no further action is required to be taken in the matter. We are sure that the concerned District Collectors shall take appropriate action as soon as possible and preferably within two months from the date of receipt of a copy of the order, as per the provisions of the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, 1976 and shall do the needful to redress the grievances ventilated in the petitions. In pursuance of the above observation, the petitions are disposed of accordingly. __________________ ANIL R. DAVE, CJ ______________________ T. MEENA KUMARI, J January 17, 2008 Nn/Svs. HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE & HON’BLE SMT. JUSTICE T. MEENA KUMARI WRIT PETITION Nos.23400 & 25197 of 2006 & 17606 of 2007 (Common order delivered by the Honourable the Chief Justice) 17.1.2008