Supreme Court upholds wage board notification

J. VENKATESAN

The court said that new pay structure would be implemented from April 2014 and the employer will have to pay arrears within a year in four instalments.

The Supreme Court on Friday upheld the constitutional validity of the November 11, 2011 Union government notifications, directing implementation of the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Boards for journalists and non-journalists of newspapers and news agencies.

A Bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam and Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Shiva Kirti Singh, dismissing a batch of petitions filed by newspaper managements and the Indian Newspaper Society, said the recommendations “are valid in law, based on genuine and acceptable considerations and there is no valid ground for interference under Article 32 of the Constitution.”

Writing the judgment, the CJI said the wages as revised/determined were payable from November 11, 2011. The Bench said: “All arrears up to March 2014 shall be paid to all eligible persons in four equal instalments within one year from today [Friday]” and the revised wages should continue to be paid from April 2014.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sc-upholds-validity-of-majithia-wage-board/article5663793.ece