PIL In Allahabad High Court Seeks Appointment Of Presiding Officers In 12 Labour Courts/ Industrial Tribunals In UP

A public interest litigation has been filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking appointments to the post of Presiding Officers in twelve Labour Court/ Industrial Tribunals in the State of Uttar Pradesh.

In the PIL, it has been alleged that officials of the State and Union Government are not discharging their obligations under the U.P. Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 by keeping the said posts vacant for last 1 to 2 years.

Petitioner, claiming to be a social worker stated that there are six Industrial Tribunals and twenty Labour Courts in the State but since these Courts and Tribunals do not generate revenue for the State, they are neglected.

It has been alleged in the PIL that about 6,063 cases are pending which affect more than Five Lakh industrial/contractual labours and their families. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” states the petitioner as the delay in appointment of the Presiding Officers is delaying dispensation of justice.

Posts of Presiding Officer in Industrial Tribunals at Allahabad, Lucknow, Kanpur and Agra and in Labour Courts at Kanpur (3 Labour Courts in the District), Agra, Rampur, Firozabad, Saharnpur, Ghaziabad, Jhansi, Meerut and Noida are lying vacant. It has been further alleged that the Government instead of making appointments on the said posts, issued a Government Order stating that existing presiding Officers shall preside over the rest of the benches 3 days a week. Petitioner alleges that such an order handicaps the disposal of cases in the State.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava has directed the State to obtain instructions before the next date of listing.

Advocates Sunil Kumar Tripathi, Devesh Tripathi and Sandeep Pandey are appearing for the Petitioner.