STATE BANK OF INDIA v. STATE THROUGH LABOUR ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. CURZON ROAD BARRACKS, KASTURBA ANDHI MARG,NEW DELHI
2002-02-19
K.S.GUPTA
body2002
DigiLaw.ai
K. S. GUPTA ( 1 ) IN this petition under section 482 Code of Criminal Procedure, petitioner-accused seeks quashment of the complaint dated 25/09/1997 filed by the respondent. ( 2 ) COMPLAINT (Annexure P-2) was filed by the State through Labour Enforcement Officer (C) alleging that branch at 11, Sansad Marg of the petitioner bank was inspected by complainant-respondent on 9/07/1997 and work of sweeping and cleaning of premises there was found being done through Ajay Kumar, Contractor by employing 6 contract labourers. As per notification No. 779 (E) dated 9/12/1976 issued by Government of India, Ministry of labour, New Delhi under section 10 (1) of the Contract labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act, 1970 (for short the act ) work of sweeping and cleaning is prohibited category of employment and punishable under section 23 of the Act. ( 3 ) THE petitioner is the principal employer as defined under section 2 (1) (g) of the Act for the said work. It was prayed that petitioner be summoned and tried for the offence committed. ( 4 ) RELYING on the decision in M/s. Indian Iron and steel Co. Ltd and others vs. State of Bihar and others, 1987 vol. 2 LLJ 333 the contention advanced by Sh. Jagat Arora for petitioner was that alleged violation of notification no. 779 (E) dated 9/12/1976 by petitioner bank, would not attract penalty under section 25 of the Act. Also relying on the decision in Steel Authority of India Ltd and others vs. National Union water Front workers and others. 2001 II-LLJ 239, further contention advanced was that said notification has since been quashed by the Supreme Court and it cannot, thus, form the basis for prosecuting the petitioner. ( 5 ) IN M/s. Indian Iron and Steel Co. Ltd s case (supra), the violation alleged by petitioner was of Notification dated 1/02/1975 which prohibited employment of contract labour in the works of raising-cum-selling of coal; coal loading and un-loading; overburden removal and earth cutting, soft coke manufacturing and driving of stone drifts and miscellaneous stone cutting underground, issued under section 10 (1) of the Act. One of the points raised on behalf of petitioner was that violation of said notification cannot attract penal provision of the Act unless the conduct attributed to the petitioners fell strictly under the penal provisions of the Act or the rules framed thereunder.
One of the points raised on behalf of petitioner was that violation of said notification cannot attract penal provision of the Act unless the conduct attributed to the petitioners fell strictly under the penal provisions of the Act or the rules framed thereunder. while dealing with that point it was held that without violation of the provisions of the Act or rules framed thereunder, the prosecution cannot fasten criminal liability against the petitioner on the strength of said notification issued under executive power taking aid of said section 10 (1 ). Aforesaid notification no. 779 (E) dated 9/12/1976 which prohibits employment of contract labour for sweeping and cleaning etc, is similar to above notification dated 1/02/1975. ( 6 ) IN Steel Authority of India Ltd s case (supra), aforesaid notification No. 779 (E) dated 9/12/1976 had been quashed by the court prospectively i. e. from the date of judgment subject to clarification that on the basis of that judgment no order passed or any action taken under the said notification on or before the date of judgment, shall be called in question in any tribunal or court including the High Court if it has otherwise attained finality and/orit has-been implemented. Obviously, present prosecution does not fall in any of these two categories. Thus, complaint in question deserves to be quashed on both the said grounds being abuse of process of court under section 482 Code of Criminal Procedure ( 7 ) FOR the foregoing discussion, petition is allowed and complaint in question pending against the petitioner bank before a. Metropolitan Magistrate, Patiala House courts, is hereby quashed.