Labour & Service
'Nata Vivah' Recognised As Marriage: Rajasthan High Court Directs Family Pension To Deceased Govt Employee's Wife
Considering that Nata Vivah is also considered as a form of marriage in rural areas of Rajasthan, the Rajasthan High Court has directed grant of family pension to a woman, who performed the customary marriage with the deceased government employee.For context, Nata Vivah is a practice prevalent in some of the rural areas of Rajasthan where after death or separation from existing husband,...
It Is Too Late To Put The Genie Back In The Bottle
The Indian judiciary through various judgments held that the declaration of a central law as unconstitutional by a High Court is binding all over India and not just within the territorial jurisdiction of that High Court. Despite this, Parliament has, quite incredulously, chosen to bring back a provision which was already declared unconstitutional, not by a constitutional amendment, but by simply changing the label of the identical provision under a new statute. Is it possible for Parliament to...
States Cannot Prescribe Qualifications Beyond Those Laid Down In Union Law: Supreme Court
When a field prescribing a qualification for a public post is occupied by the Union, then it is impermissible for the States to impose additional qualifications, observed the Supreme Court. A bench of Justices JK Maheshwari and Vijay Bishnoi heard the batch of appeals concerning the challenge to the power of the State Government to prescribe the essential qualifications for the position of...
Date Of Appointment Letter, Not Date Of Joining, Decisive For Pay Fixation Benefits: Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has held that an ex-serviceman's vested right to have his entire approved military service counted for the purpose of pay fixation cannot be defeated merely because he joined civil service after an amendment to the applicable rules came into force. The Court emphasised that the decisive factor is the date of issuance of the appointment letter and not the date...
HMA | Second Marriage During Subsistence Of First Marriage Doesn't Get Legitimized Upon Death Of First Wife: Orissa High Court
The Orissa High Court has held that solemnisation of second marriage, which is void ab initio, by a Hindu man during subsistence of his first marriage does not get legitimised/legalised upon the death of the first wife. While deciding the plea of the second wife of an ex-government employee for grant of family pension, the Division Bench of Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad and Justice...
Employee's Reinstatement On Court Order Doesn't Bar Disciplinary Enquiry For Past Misconduct: Rajasthan High Court
The Rajasthan High Court has held that reinstatement of a government employee after consideration of his/her representation based on a court order was not equivalent to condonation of the misconduct, and it did not take away the State's right to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the employee for the same period. The bench of Justice Anand Sharma clarified that unless a specific order...
Disobedience Of Lawful Order By CISF Personnel Constitutes Misconduct Regardless Of Prior Intimation Of Non‑Compliance : Calcutta HC
A Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court comprising Justice Madhuresh Prasad and Justice Prasenjit Biswas held that disobedience of a lawful order by a member of a disciplined force like CISF constitutes misconduct regardless of prior intimation of non‑compliance. Background Facts The employee was a Constable with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). She was issued...
Compassionate Appointment Can't Be Rejected Merely On Ground Of Delay If Financial Distress Is Established & Delay Is Explained: Andhra Pradesh HC
A Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court comprising Justice Cheekati Manavendranath Roy and Justice Tuhin Kumar Gedela held that compassionate appointment cannot be denied solely on the ground of delay when the delay is due to lack of awareness of rules and the family's financial distress is established. Further it was directed that the authorities must make a balanced...
Termination Violating S.25F Industrial Disputes Act Doesn't Automatically Lead To Reinstatement: Rajasthan High Court
The Rajasthan High Court has partly upheld the order of a Labour Court which directed monetary compensation to the petitioner, instead of reinstatement, despite ruling his termination to be in violation of Section 25F of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (“the Act”). The bench of Justice Anand Sharma observed that even though a violation of Section 25F rendered the retrenchment illegal,...
Rajasthan High Court Orders Reinstatement Of Constables Dismissed Without Regular Enquiry Over Accused's Escape From Custody
Rajasthan High Court directed reinstatement of three constables, dismissed from service without conduct of regular enquiry under State Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, after two accused absconded from their custody charged with looting. The bench of Justice Anand Sharma opined that merely the nature of offence committed by the absconded accused could not be a...
Contract Employee Subjected To Disciplinary Rules Can't Be Terminated Without Departmental Enquiry: Gauhati HC
A Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury held that if a contractual employee's appointment expressly incorporates statutory disciplinary rules, then the termination on grounds of misconduct is punitive and invalid without following the prescribed enquiry procedure under such rules. Background Facts The...