IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA CWJC No.5897 of 2006 Bindeshwari Singh son of Late Deoraj Singh, resident of village- Araura, Police Station- Deo, District Aurangabad … Petitioner Versus 1. The State Of Bihar 2. The Additional Collector, Aurangabad 3. The Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Aurangabad 4. The Labour Enforcement Officer-cum- Labour Inspector, Deo Block, District Aurangabad 5. Bilash Bhuian son of Budhu Bhian 6. Kaila Bhuian son of Antu Bhuian 7. Anil Bhuian son of Bilashi Bhuian 8. Munarik Bhuian son of Matuki Bhuian 9. Sanjay Bhuian son of Ram Janam Bhuian 10. Maina Bhuian son of Kameshwar Bhuian 11. Bigan Bhuian son of Kali Bhuian 12. Laxman Bhuian son of Kali Bhuian 13. Ramjee Bhuian son of Bhudhram Bhuian 14. Umesh Bhuian son of Mohan Bhuian 15. Naresh Bhuian son of Sahan Bhuian 16. Sonu Bhuian son of Dipan Bhuian 17. Mahadeo Bhuian son of Tater Bhuian 18. Shailendra Bhuian son of Sablal Bhuian 19. Satendra Bhuian son of Budhkai Bhuian 20. Ramesh Bhuian son of Sita Bhuian 21. Biran Bhuian son of Nanhu Bhuian 22. Kailash Bhuian son of Mohan Bhuian 23. Yodhan Bhuian son of Sukan Bhuian 24. Suresh Bhuian son of Mohan Bhuian 25. Baran Bhuian son of Budhram Bhuian 26. Santan Bhuian son of Sukan Bhuian 27. Ramjee Bhuian son of Santan Bhuian 28. Ashish Bhuian son of Santan Bhuian 29. Yogendra Bhuian son of Bilashi Bhuian 30. Jitendra Bhuian son of Nanhu Bhuian 31. Kamta Bhuian son of Jattu Bhuian 32. Gudari Bhuian son of Bala Bhuian, all Respondent nos. 5 to 32 are residents of village- Mathurapur, P.O. Araura, P.S. Deo, District Aurangabad 33. Amit Bhuian son of Nathun Bhuian, resident of village Amarpur, P.O. Araura, P.S. Deo, Distt. Aurangabad 34. Surendra Bhuian son of Sita Bhuian 35. Umesh Bhuian son of Sita Bhuian 2 36. Amrendra Bhuian son of Bilash Bhuian 37. Sheo Narayan Bhuian son of Bala Bhuian 38. Muneshwar Bhuian son of Mithu Bhuian 39. Ravindra Bhuian son of Ramchandra Bhuian 40. Jadu Bhuian son of Sahdeo Bhuian 41. Santan Bhuian son of Mossafir Bhuian 42. Yogi Bhuian son of Mosafir Bhuian 43. Ram Jatan Bhuian son of Krit Bhuian 44. HariBhuian son of Krit Bhuian 45. Raju Bhuian son of Muneshwar Bhuian 46. Bhaju Bhuian son of Muneshwar Bhuian 47. Mukhdeo Bhuian son of Kail Bhuian 48. Ganauri Bhuian son of Kail Bhuian 49. Ramesh Bhuian son of Kail Bhuian, all are resident of village - Mathurapur, P.O. Araura, P.S. Deo, District Aurangabad 50. Jivrakhan Bhuian son of Kallu Bhuian 51. Sita Bhuian son of Sahdeo Bhuian 52. Shailendra Bhuian son of Sahdeo Bhuian 53. Lalan Bhuian son of Laxmi Bhuian 54. Parvesh Bhuian son of Devi Bhuian 55. Sohrai Bhuian son of Manhu Bhuian 56. Jitendra Bhuian son of Manhu Bhuian 57. Ramlagan Bhuian son of Matuki Bhuian 58. Kameshwar Bhuian son of Matuki Bhuian 59. Sarju Bhuian son of Mukhlal Bhuian 60. Sheo Kumar Bhuian son of Mahesh Bhuian 61. Mosafir Bhuian son of Kail Bhuian 62. Mahesh Bhuian son of Tater Bhuian 63. Sohrai Bhuian son of Bigan Bhuian 64. Ram Sewak Bhuian son of Yadunandan Bhuian 65. Tapeshwar Bhuian son of Ramlal Bhuian 66. Deonandan Bhuian son of Ramlal Bhuian 67. Naresh Bhuian son Sahdeo Bhuian 68. Nathun Bhuian son of Sahdeo Bhuian 69. Nageshwar Bhuian son of Laxmi Bhuian 70. Lalan Bhuian son of Ramdhani Bhuian 71. Babulal Chaudhary son of Raghuni Chaudhary 72. Pravesh Chaudhary son of Raghuni Chaudhary 73. Subedar Chaudhary son of Raghuni Chaudhary 74. Bailendra Chaudhary son of Raghuni Chaudhary 75. Ashok Bhuian son of Chhathu Bhuian 76. Shyamdeo Bhuian son of Chhathu Bhuian 77. Rukhi Bhuian son of Chhathu Bhuian 3 78. Kishmatiya Devi wife of Ashok Bhuian, all are rersident of village Amarpur, P.O. Araura, P.S. Deo, District Aurangabad ….. . Respondents ----------- 02/ 29.03.2011 Heard learned counsel for the petitioner and the State. 2. Petitioner at the relevant time served as Mukhiya of Araura Gram Panchayat. He has filed this writ petition assailing order dated 29.11.2005 passed in Minimum Wage Case No. 03 of 2003-04, Annexure-1, whereunder claim of Respondent nos. 5 to 78 for payment of minimum wages for execution of Scheme Nos. 15, 30 of 2001-02 has been allowed directing the petitioner, who was entrusted with the execution of the aforesaid two schemes, to pay the minimum wages to Respondent nos. 5 to 78. Aforesaid order dated 29.11.2005, Annexure-1 has also been affirmed by the Appellate Authority under orders dated 13.2.2006 passed in Minimum Wage Appeal Case No. 194 of 2005-06, Annexure-2, as while considering the said case, the Appellate Authority refused to condone the delay in filing the appeal. 3. It is submitted on behalf of the petitioner 4 that the orders dated 29.11.2005 and 13.2.2006, Annexures-1 and 2 passed by the authorities below are fit to be set aside as the authorities never verified the objection of the petitioner before issuing direction for payment of minimum wages to the 74 respondents engaged to execute the aforesaid two schemes. In this connection, it is pointed out that many of the 74 respondents whose claim has been allowed, were never engaged to execute the two schemes and without verifying the muster roll register and attendance register, the authorities below have allowed the claim of the 74 respondents. In this connection, it is also pointed out that the muster roll register and attendance register was seized by the Labour Enforcement Officer on whose report Minimum Wage Case No. 03 of 2003- 04 was instituted, as such, it was not possible for the petitioner to have produced the two registers. 4. From the impugned orders dated 29.11.2005 and 13.2.2006, Annexures-1 and 2 passed by the authorities below, it does not appear that the petitioner ever requested the Original, Appellate Authority to verify the claim of the 74 respondents by 5 calling for the original muster roll register and the attendance register. In the circumstances, I am not inclined to reopen the matter as the schemes were executed in the year 2001-02, the claim for payment of minimum wages was allowed on 29.11.2005 and the petitioner approached the Appellate Authority belatedly leading to dismissal of the appeal on the ground of limitation. 5. The writ petition is dismissed. Arjun/ ( V. N. Sinha, J.)