Majithia Wage Board : Pleas of Newspaper Managements to review judgment rejected by SC

The petition of Newspaper  managements seeking review of judgment dated 7.2.2014 directing them to apply the recommendations of Majithia Wage Board for journalists and non-journalists on their pay structure has been dismissed by the Supreme Court. The Bench  comprising Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and Justices  Ranjan Gogoi and Shiva Kirti Singh said in its brief  order pursuant to chamber proceedings, that after carefully going through the review petitions and the connected papers, it found no merit in the review petitions and therefore it dismissed the petition.

Earlier in the day, the court also rejected the plea of Senior Counsel K.K. Venugopal, appearing for few Newspaper  managements. The plea of KK  Venugopal was that till their petitions challenging the validity of the Supreme Court Rule dealing with hearing of Review Petitions in Chamber  are heard,  it should defer Review Petitions. However, the bench said it couldn't entertain the plea. The petitioners included Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd (publisher of The Times of India), ABP Pvt. Ltd (publisher of Anandabazar Patrika) and the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), among others.

The Chief Justice referred to the February 7 verdict, which upheld recommendations made by the Justice Majithia Wage Board hiking salaries for journalists and non-journalists in print media, and dismissed challenges filed by the managements of various newspapers. According  to  Live Law reports, Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Majithia wage board, saying that its proposal was based on sincere consideration. The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, also dismissed the newspaper organizations challenge to the constitutional validity of the Working Journalists & Newspaper Employees Act.It had held the recommendations of the wage boards were valid in law, based on authentic and satisfactory considerations and there was no valid ground for interference under Article 32 of the Constitution of India. Stating this the apex court dismissed all the writ petitions.  It was held that the revised pay structure be given to the employees from November 11, 2011 when the government of India notified the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board