The Allahabad High Court expressed its concern at the condition in which Labour Court/Industrial Tribunals at Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh are working while noting that labour courts and the tribunals are organized to dispense cheap and effective justice to a class of citizens.
A single Bench of Justice J. J. Munir passed this order while hearing a Petition filed by Vashishth Rai.
The Court noted that, “Mr. Dhirendra Pratap Singh, Presiding Officer, Labour Court, U.P., Gorakhpur, has submitted his explanation/report dated December 8, 2020, which reveals a very disturbing state of affairs about organization function/infrastructure for dispensation of justice under the Industrial Disputes Act.”
The High Court further noted that on December 7, “The Presiding Officer, Labour Court, Gorakhpur shall explain as to why Case of Vashishth Rai vs. Executive Engineer, Prantiya Khand, Public Works Department, Kushi Nagar and others, is pending for the last 12 years”.
Dhirendra Pratap Singh, Presiding Officer, Labour Court, U.P., Gorakhpur, submitted his explanation/report dated December 8.
The material part of the report reads:
It was stated that about 1,291 matters are under adjudication and that the Labour Court and the Industrial Tribunals together are functioning in a private house.
It was also submitted that the Labour Court and the Industrial Tribunal sit in the same courtroom and so they can’t work simultaneously.
“The Labour Courts and the Tribunals are organized to dispense cheap and effective justice to a class of citizens, who do not have all the resources commanded by the better endowed in society. These also have a larger purpose to serve. These Courts and Tribunals have an indispensable role in maintaining industrial peace. For the adjudication of Civil disputes, the establishment of regular Courts is distrusted both by the State and the Society at large on ground that regular Courts rendered delayed justice. These Labour Courts are special Tribunals/Courts upon which the State and the Society both
pin great hopes,” the Court said.
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The Court directed the Principal Secretary, Ministry of Labour, U.P., Lucknow to submit a report within one week as to what steps can be taken immediately to remedy the situation for the Labour Court/Industrial Tribunals at Gorakhpur.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on December 17.