"Sorry state of affairs": Delhi High Court on non-payment of salaries of government hospital workers

The Delhi High Court recently expressed its displeasure over the fact several workmen employed with a city hospital had not received their salaries since April 2022 solely because their files were moving from one department to another..Justice Rekha Palli took a stern view of the case and issued notice to the Delhi government. The court said that if the workers are not paid their salaries by February 8, the Secretary of Finance Department will have to remain present in court.“The present petitions preferred by the workmen depict a very sorry state of affairs, wherein they have not been paid any wages since 12.04.2022 only on account of the files moving up and down between two departments of the Govt. of NCT of Delhi… It is made clear that in case the petitioners are not paid their wages, by the next date, the Secretary(Finance), Government of NCT of Delhi will remain present in Court,” the Court ordered..The bench was dealing with a batch of petitions filed by people who joined the management of the Delhi government hospital as nursing orderlies in 2001.It was stated that services of the petitioners were terminated in May 2005 without assigning any reason. The workers then challenged the order and the dispute went up to the Supreme Court which passed an order in their favour and they joined their duties in April 2022.The petitioners argued that even though they joined the services, they have not been paid any wages and their pleas in the labour court have repeatedly been adjourned on the respondent’s requests.“The Ld. Presiding Officer, instead of directing the Respondent in terms of Section 15(3) of the Payment of Wages Act, 1936, has been requesting/issuing notices to various departments for appearances, however, no direction has been issued for the payment of wages despite the passing of 4 months,” the High Court was told..The High Court will now hear the matter on February 8..Advocates Rajiv Agarwal, Meghna De and L Gangmei appeared for the petitioners.Advocate Abhinav Sharma, Anubhav Gupta, Varun Garg, Abhishek Aggarwal appeared for the respondents. .[Read Order]