By IANS,
Gandhinagar : The Gujarat High Court Thursday issued notice to the union labour ministry and the state government in a case challenging the state’s policy of paying its employees fixed monthly wages.
A bench comprising Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice J.B. Pardiwala also asked the government to file its reply before the next date of hearing.
The chief justice pulled up the state government and cautioned of contempt proceedings for not complying with the state’s assurance given to the court earlier .
The judges sought to know from government pleader Prakash Jani as to why employees on fixed pay were not provided benefit of pay revision as granted to permanent employees. “Is the government ready to provide regular pay at par with permanent employees to court as well,” it questioned.
The state government had recruited Class III employees on a five-year contract on fixed payments of Rs.2,500 and Rs.3,500 per month. The court had taken the government to task for flouting minimum wage norms.
The Yogkshem Foundation for human dignity had filed a petition challenging the government policy. The issue took a new turn after the administrative wing of the Gujarat High Court raised objection over fixed wages being given to court staff in the state judiciary.