Non-Payment Of MGNREGA Wages| 'Take Action In 3 Months If Representation Filed': Calcutta HC Directs Purulia DM

The bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj passed this order while dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) plea moved by Paschim Banga Khet Majoor Samity, a registered trade union, regarding non-payment of MGNREGA wages since December 2021.

The plea before the Court also submitted that no new work is being provided to the eligible workers.

Significantly, the counsel for the petitioner union also raised a grievance that the irregularities exist not only in district Purulia but in the other districts also.

In view of this, having regard to the plea taken in the petition, the Court disposed of the PIL plea by permitting the petitioner union to file the detailed comprehensive representation along with the particulars of the affected/aggrieved workers before the District Magistrate, Purulia.

Further, DM Purulia was directed that on receipt of the same, he shall conduct an inquiry and will take appropriate action in accordance with the law after giving an opportunity of hearing to all the concerned parties.

Let this exercise be completed within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the representation, the Court added.

So far as the grievance regarding other districts was concerned, the Court said that if the petitioner finds such irregularities, they would be at liberty to file an appropriate representation before the concerned District Magistrate.

With this, the plea was disposed of.

Appearances

For the petitioners: Sr. Adv. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya, along with Advocates Debashis Banerjee, Rakesh Jana, Purbayan Chakraborty

For UOI: Advocate Brajesh Jha

For State: Advocates Jahar Lal De, Rudranil De

Case title - Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity and another vs. The Union of India and others

Citation: 2023 LiveLaw (Cal) 5

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