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Madhya Pradesh High Court · body

2002 DIGILAW 1051 (MP)

E. S. I. Corporation v. Depot Manager, MPSRTC. Indore

2002-11-27

A.K.GOHIL

body2002
JUDGMENT In this appeal under section 82 of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948 (for short "the Act of 1948"), appellant has challenged the impugned order dated 10.8.2002 passed by Employees' State Insurance, Labour Court, Indore in Case No. 5/90 (ESI). Admittedly, appeal under section 82 of the Act of 1948 lies only on the ground to this Court when it involves substantial questions of law. In (his case, by the impugned order dated 10.8.2002, the ESI Court has set aside the recovery letter dated 17.1.1990 passed by the ESI Corporation. The submission of Shri Sharan is that the letter dated 17.1.1990 is not a show cause notice but it is an order of determination which has been passed under section 45A of the Act of 1948. On the contrary, in the reply the ESI Corporation has itself treated the said letter dated 17.1.1990 as a show cause notice. No other order has been produced on behalf of the ESI Corporation showing that after the aforesaid notice dated 17.1.1990, they passed the order of determination as required under section 45A of the Act of 1948. The procedure has been prescribed for recovery under section 45A of the Act of 1948. The recovery can be made as per section 45B and that can only be made when order of determination is passed under section 45A of the Act of 1948. It is also true that before passing an order of determination under section 45A (1), the principle of natural justice has to be followed by the Corporation. Before the Labour Court, it was the burden on the appellant\Corporation to prove that if the show cause notice dated 17.1.1990 was issued by the Corporation then on which date the order of determination' was passed. In the absence of any order of determination, the recovery proceedings cannot be initiated. In this case, the Corporation has neither shown before the Labour Court nor before this Court that on which date the order of determination was passed by the Corporation as required under section 45A (1) of the Act of 1948. In such circumstances, the matter has rightly been concluded by the Labour Court on the question of finding of fact. I do not think that any substantial question of law is involved in this appeal for determination by this Court. Accordingly, I decline admission of this appeal and dismiss the same in limine. In such circumstances, the matter has rightly been concluded by the Labour Court on the question of finding of fact. I do not think that any substantial question of law is involved in this appeal for determination by this Court. Accordingly, I decline admission of this appeal and dismiss the same in limine. Record be returned.