Regularization of Baglihar HEP contractual workers
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 13: Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice V Ramasubramanian has dismissed the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC) against the Judgment of High Court whereby directions were issued for regularization of casual staff engaged in the Baglihar Hydroelectric Project.
In the SLP, challenge was thrown to the J&K High Court order dated December 16, 2021 whereby JKPDC was directed to grant regularization to the respondents from the date proforma respondents had been regularized—October 16, 2010.
It was submitted before the Supreme Court that High Court while passing the impugned order has failed to consider the fact that the relief granted was above and beyond the reliefs that can be granted by JKPDC given the financial burden.
After hearing Advocate Sahil Tagotra for the contractual employees and the Standing Counsel for the State of J&K at length, the Supreme Court upheld the demand of the contractual employees and dismissed the Special Leave Petition. As a consequence, the contractual employees will be regularized with effect from 16.1.2010 with all consequential benefits including monetary benefits.
With this, a long drawn claim of contractual workers of J&K Power Development Corporation (engaged as ‘Helpers’ since 2002), who had been litigating since the year 2010 before the J&K High Court seeking regularization with effect from 16.1.2010 on parity with Junior Engineers working in Baghliar Power Project has finally been put to rest by the Supreme Court in favour of the contractual workers.
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