The Supreme Court has ordered the Rajasthan government to pay ₹10 lakh for harassing a part-time labourer by denying him regular employment and work benefits while pursuing a case against him for 22 years.
“It is unfortunate that the State of Rajasthan has been harassing the poor litigant, a part-time labourer, who was extended benefits by the Labour Court in the year 2001, i.e. for the last 22 years he has been litigating. This is totally a frivolous petition. It is, accordingly, dismissed with costs of ₹10 lakh to be paid to the respondent within four weeks,” said a Bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath.
The Rajasthan government had approached the top court after the State High Court upheld a Labour Court decision of 2001 in favour of the worker, Gopal Bijawat, reinstating him in employment.
