THE HINDUSTAN TIMES LTD., NEW DELHI versus THEIR WORKMEN VICE VERSA

231 SUPREME COURT REPORts [1964] Vot.

\Ve therefore dismiss the petition but in the

circumstances of this case pass no order asto costs.

1962

"Vehru Motor TrOtrS• port Co·of1tr•lir1 Socitt) Lid. v. SllJU of Raja.""1it

Wanchoo, J.

1962

D"""b"', .H.

THE HINDUSTAN TIMES LT1)., NEW DELHI

v.

THEIR WORKMEN

VICB VERSA

(P. B. GAJENDRAOADKA.R, K. N. WANCHOO, K. C. DAS GuPTA and J.C. SHAH, JJ.)

Industrial Di~pute--Fi•·atiun of waye structure-Factor.• lo be co11sidered-Fair IVage-Lidng IVagc-l!:xtent of power to interfere under Art. 136 with w~gc •cale fixed by Tribunal Dearness allowance on basis of ,,/iJiny ocafcs-/nterim agreement r<ganling interim relief not to be ignured-Lea.1:r, rule.s-Grutu. ity-J!.ietireni.ent 1tqe-Retrusper:tit·c t1pr:rr1ti1J1l t1f azvard-J)c/hi Shops & Jtstablisliment Act, 1954 (Ddlii 7 of 1Vii4)-1!:111ployw' In.rnrance Act, 1948 (34 of 1!148)-lwlu..•trial Di8putes Stale Act, 1947, (U of 1!147).

The Chief Commissioner, Delhi, referred an L1dwtrial dispute for adjudication to the Industrial Tribunal, Delhi, which gave its award on March 16, 1959. Both the appellant and the respondents were dissatisfied with the award and they came to this Court by Sp<.'Cii.l leave. The award was challenged by the appellant with regard to scales of pay, dearness allo wance, adjustments, leave rules, gratuity and rctro.<1pectivc effect of the award. The respondents attacked the award as reg~rds the working hours, l•ave rules and retirement age.

Ile/a, that while social justic demand•

that workmen should get a fair share of the national income which they help to produce, it has also to be seen that that docs not result in lnroada the drying up of the source of national

income itself.

1962

•.

Tht Hindustan T'un~s Ltd., New D1lhl

Thllr Workn.t

1 S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS

235

on the profits of the capitalists should not Le such as have a tendency to drive capital away from fruitful employment and thereby affect prejudicially capital formation itself. The Tribu· nal had applied the correct principles and the award should not be disturbed.

Held, also, that the Tribunal had erred in awarding a Jixt:d dearness allowance of Rs. 25!.. The object of dearness allowance being to neutralise part of the rise or fall in the cost ' · of living, it should ordinarily be on a sliding scale.

Held, that the contention of the appellant that in view of 1he provisions of the Employees' State Insurance Act, 1948, no provision need be made about sickness leave at all, was rejected. It was pointed out that in providing for periodical payments to an insured worker in case of sickness or for medical treatment or attendance to him or the members of his family under the Act of 1948, the Legislature did not intend to substitute any of these benefits for the workmen's rig~t to get leave on full pay on the ground of sickness.

Held, that as regards those workmen to whom

the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954. applied, the Tribunal had acted illegally in fixing the period of sick leave at 15 days and permitting accumulation. The appellant shall allow to the work· men to whom the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act applied, sickness or casual leave for a tnt ·il period of 12 days with full pay and allowances, and such leave shall not accumulate. As it was not desirable to . have two separate leave rules for two classes of workmen, one to whom the Aot of 1954 applied and the other to whom the Act did not apply, it was held that the •ame rule should apply to other workers also.

Held, also, that the scheme of gratuity as framed by the tribunal was not unduly favourable to workmen and it also did not place any undue strain on the financial resources of the Com· pany. As regards the provision in the gratuity scheme that an employee who is dismissed for misconduct shall not be entitled to any gratuity; it was held that the proper provision should be that where an employee is dismissed for misconduct which has resulted in financial loss to the employer, the amount of loss should be deducted from the amount of gratuity due.

The award of the Tribunal on the question of retirement age was set aside and the retirement age was fixed at 58, subject to the proviso that it would be open to the company to conti· nue in its employment a workman who had passed that age. The rule was to apply to all the employees of the Company.

236 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1964) VOL.

1962

TIM Hintf11sta11 TU1111 ltd., New Delhi v. Thtir Worknws

No general formula could be laid down as to the date from which a Tribunal should make its award cffecti\·e. That que•tion has to be decided by the Tribunal on consideration 'fherc was no justification of the circumstances of each case. for interfering with the direction of the ·rribunal that in this case the reliefs given liy it should become effoctive from the date of the reference.

Standard Vacuum R•fining Co., of India v. /I.! workmen, [1961] S. C.R. 536, Mf.•. Crorun Aluminium Works v. /I,. work mtn, {1958] S. C. R. 651, B~prM~ New•papers Lf4. v; Union of India, [1959] S. C.R. 12, Mf"· Lipton Ltd. v. Their II orkrnen (1959] Supp. 2 S. C.R. 150, Workmen llindi••lan Motor.< v. llidu•lan Motors, (1962) 2 L. L. J. 352, French Motor Car Co. v. Their IVorkmtn, (1962) 2 L. L..J. 744 and Gutst Keen, IVilliarns (P) Ltd. v. P. J. Sterling [1961] 1 S. C.R. 348, referred to.

C1vIL APPELLATE JuRTSI>WTION: Civil Appeals

Nos. 489 & 490 of 1961.

Appeals by special leave from the award dated March lti, 1959, of the Second Industrial Tribunal, Delhi in Reference I. D. No. 20 of 1958.

G. S. Pathak, S. T. Desai, M. L. Sethi, B. Dutta and Anand Prakash, for the appellant (in C. A. No. 489/61) and the respondent (in C. A. No. 490/61).

lu. C. Setalvad, Attorney-General

fodia, ,lf. K. Rainamurt11i, D. P. SiWJh, R. !(, Garg and S.C. Agarwal, for the respondents (in C.A. No. 48!l/6l) and the appellants (in C. A. No. 490/61 ).

for

D111 Gupl<l, J.

1962. December 14. The Judgment of the

Court was delivered by

DAS GUPTA, J.-These two appeals by special leave, one by the employer and the other by the workmen, arise out of an industrial dispute that was referred for adjudication to the Industrial Tribunal Delhi, by an order made on January 2:l, 1958 by the Chief Commissioner, Delhi. The Tribunal made its award on March 16, l!l59. Out of the numerous

1961

•.

Thi Hindustan Ttmes ltd., N•w Delhi

Thlir r¥or~m111.

Du Gupta, J.

1 S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS

237

matters that were included in the terms of reference, we are concerned in these appeals only with a few. The employer challenges the award as regards : (1) Scales of pay, (2) Dearness allowance, (:1) Adjt19t ments, (4) Leave Rules, (5) Gratuity and (6) Retros pective effect of the award. The workmen also attacked the award as regards the scales of pay and In addition, they have attacked dearness allowance. the award as regards the working hours, leave rules, night shift allowance, retirement age and procedure for taking disciplinary action. At the time of the hearing before us however learned Attorney General, appearing for the workmen, did not press their claim for modification of the award as regards, night shift allowance, leave rules and procedure for taking disciplinary action and working hour>.

the

reliefs,

It appears that when the dispute was before the Conciliation Officer, Delhi, for settlement an interim agreement was ·arrived at between the parties on December 20, 1957 by which the management agreed to give certain interim ranging between Rs. 6/- to Rs. 10/- per month from the month of November 1957. One of the terms of the agreement was that this payment "will be adjusted against the final outcome of the demands by constitutional means". The Tribunal has in its award given a direction that this interim relief shall remain un affected. Taking this to be a direction th'lt the adjustment as agreed upon of payments under the interim arrangement shall not be made, the employer has in its appeal challenged the correctness of this direction also.

The most important of the matters in dispute are the questions of the wage scale, the dearness allowance and the adjustment of existing employees into the new scales. It appears that from 1946 on wards the Company's workmen have had a consoli dated wage scale, no distinction being made between

238 SUPRE:ME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

'

' '>' 1962

Tl~ Hindustan Tunes Ltd .• New Delhi v. Thier ~Vorkmeit

Da.s Gupta, J.

the basic wage and the de~rness allowance. This wage scale has remained practically unaltered except for some special increments· given in the year 1948. By the award the Tribunal has introduced new wage scale for certain existing categories. of workmen and . hits. introduced· ne\v. scales, after in some . cases amalgamating more than . one· ·category. Thus certain· railway ; dcspatchers~ .. advertisers, Box No. and bank,, clerks who sorters,' filing' clerks were formerly in the ·scale of Rs. 50-4-!JO-EB-4-115 and Junior Clerks etc.; who had a scale of Rs. 60-100- EB-4-115 :have an· been ·put ori."a new scale of Rs .. 70-5-loo:EB-5-150 .. There has been a similar ·. amalgamaticin of clerks; 'assistants, cashiers,' record ·.keepers and others some of whom were on Rs. 80-175 arid some on Rs. 80-203 scale, all of them· being now put on a new scale of Rs. !J0-200 .. · In both. cases the starting s'alary has. been· raised;. the.~maximum has been raised. for·· the first category; Supervisors and others who were formerly ori three different scales, some OD Rs. 125·350, some on Rs'. 125-300, and some ori Rs. 100-250, have allbeen amalgamated and have been put on a new scale'i:>f Rs. 100-350. Obviously, this would mean £lower starting salary for some and maximum for some. Job' Daftries some ofwhom were on Rs. 70-ll5 scale and others on Rs. 100-155 . have .an been put on. a new scale of Rs. 80 to Rs.1f.5, resulting thus in a lowering of starting salary for soine . and a. rise: of a higher maximum for all. salary A has also occurred in cases : of some of the job machinemen. They were . formerly on two scales, one of Rs. 100-175 and the other of Rs. 75-175. The · Assistant Foremen. in the Job DepartmentJformerly on. Rs. 125,175 are put on a scale of Rs.125-202. \Vhere there has . been. no amalgamation the new scale has resulted in a slight increase in some cases · both ·in the starting salary and the maximum. ·In · some catagories, no change has~ bc;en made at all.

similar . lowering . in·

the . starting

1962

The Hindustan Tim11 Ltd., N1w Ddhi v. Thei' Workm1n

Das Gupta. J.

I S.C.R.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS 239

It is unnecessary to give more details of the difference between the old scale and the new scale as what has been mentioned above is sufficient to indi cate that there has been some change in favour of the workmen, though this change is not much. The employer's contention before us is that there was no case for any revision whatsoever and the Tribunal acted wrongly in making any change in the old wage scale. The workmen's contention on the contrary is that the changes do not go far enough.

The fixation of wage structure is among the mQst difficult tasks that industrial adjudication has to tackle. On the one hand not only the demands of social justice but also the claims of national economy require that attempts should be made to secure to workmen a fair share of the national income which they help to produce, on the other hand, care has to be taken that the attempt at a fair distribution does ·not tend to dry up the source of the national income itself. On the one hand, better living conditions for workmen that can only be possible by giving them a increase the nation's "living wage" will tend to wealth and income on the other hand, unreasonable inroads on the profits of the capitalists might have a tendency to drive capital away from fruitful employ affect prejudicially capital ment and even formation itself. The rise in prices that often results from the rise of the workmen's wages may in its turn affect other members of the community and may even affect prejwdicially the living conditions of the workmen themselves. The effect of such a rise in price on the country's international trade cannot also be .tlways ignored. Thus numerous complex factors, some of which are economic and some spring from so cial philosophy give rise to conflicting considerations that have to be borne in mind. Nor does the process of valuation of the numorous factors remain static. While iuternational movements in the cause of labour for many years influenced · thinking-and bii.ve

to

240 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

/J8Z

111 Hirttluslan ·rim1s Ltd., }leco Delhi v. 1Mir Workm111

Da.s C11pla, J.

some· times even judicial thinking-in such matters, in this country, the emergence of an independent demo. cratic India has influenced the matter even more pro foundly. GajPndragadkar, J. speaking for the Court in Standard Vacuum Refining Co., of India v. ft.9 IVorl~men ('), has observed.:-

"In constructing a wage structure in a given case industrial adjudication does take into account to some extent considerations of right and wrong, propriety and improprir.ty, fairness and the unfairness. As the social conscience of general community becomes more alive and active, as the welfare policy of the State takes a more'l:lynamic form, as the national economy progresses from stage to stage, and as under the growing strength of the trade union movement, collective bargaining enters field, wage structure ceases to be a purely arithmetical problem. Considerations of the financial posi tion of the employer and the state of national economy have their s•.y. and the requirement~ of a workman living in a civilised and progres· sive society also come to be recognised.''

the

In trying to keep true to the two points of social philosophy and economic necessities which vie for consideration, industrial adjudica1ion has set for itself certain standards in the matter of wage fixati•>n. At the bottom of the ladder, there is the minimum basic wage which the employer of any industrial labour must pay in order to be allowed !o continue an industry. Above this is the fair wage, which may roughly be said to approximate to the need based minimum. in the sense of a wage which is "adequate to cover the normal needs of the average employee regarded as a human being in a civilised society.'' Above the fair wage is the "livin~ wage" -a wage "which will maintain the workman in the highest stale of industrial efficiency, which will enable him to

(I) [1961] S.C.R. 536, 54l.

Jg62

Tlr1 Hindustan T m1t Ltd., New Dalhi

••

Thlfr Workm,r.

DOI 01/114, J.

1 S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS

241

provide his family with all the material things which are needed for their health and physical well-being, enough to enable him to qualify to discharge his duties as a citizen." (Cited with approval by Mr. Justice Gajendragadkar in Standard Vacuum Company's Case (') from "The living Wage" by Philip Snowden).

While industrial adjudication will .be happy to fix a wage structure which would give the workmen generally a living wage economic considerations make that only a dream for the future. That is why the industrial tribunals in this country generally con fine their horizon to the target of fixing a fair wage. But there again, the economic factors have to be carefully considered. For these reasons, this Court has repeatedly cmpha,ised the need of considering the problem on an industry-cum-region basis. and of giving careful consideration to the ability of the industry to pay. (Vide Crown Aluminium's Gase ('); the E.rpress Newsp11pers Ltd., Gase (') and the Lipton's C1~se {').

On an examination of the Tribunal's award as regards the wage scale, we are satisfied that all the considerations mentioned above were present in the mind of the adjudicator and we are of opinion that there is nothing that would justify us in modifying the award either in favour of the employer or in lt is stated in the award favour of the workmen. that before the Tribunal the Company's representative desired that a fair wage level within its paying capa city should be evolved though at the time he argued that existing wage structure is quite fair "looking to the Company's financial position as well as the com parative rates prevailing in the other concern." The Tribunal has not accepted 'the Company's contention that the existing wage structure is fair, though at the same time it has held that the wage system needs no such radical change as -alleged by the Union.

(I) [1961] S.C.R. 535, .513. (3) [191ql S.C.R. 12.

(21 [1958] S.C.R. 651. (4) [1959] Supp. 2 S.C.R. 150.

1161 -n. H"""""" r..,,,

IM., N111J Dt/Ai •• 71.v Wor'"""

Dwl Gwplo, 1.

242 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

Mr. Pathak, who appeared before us for the Com pany, did not seriously suggest that the present wage structure gives the employees "a fair wage." He argued generally that no case was made out for any revision of the wage structure. Such an extreme proposition has only to be mentioned to deserve the Tribunal was dealing rejection. At the time with this question the wage scale of the workmen in this concern had remained practically unaltered for almost 12 years-12 years of momentous change through which social ideas have moved forward in favour of workmen getting a better share of the national income; 12 years during which the new India was born and a Constitution was framed for this new democracy "to secure to all its citizens, justice, social and economic and political" and enshrining in its 43rd Article the principle that "the State shall endea vour to secure by suitable legislation or economic organisation or in any other way to all workers agri cultural, industrial or otherwise" among other things "a living wage and conditions of work ensuring a decent standard of life and full enjoyment of leisure and social and cultural opportunities ............ _ ..... ". The mere passage of time and these revolutionary changes would be sufficient to convince any right thinking man of the need for revision of wage scales which, on the face of it, were far below the "living wage" and mostly also be low the "fair wage", provided the industry could bear the additional burden. The case for revision becomes irresistible when one takes into consideratim1 the further fact that the cost of living rose steeply during this period. On the basis of 1939 cost as 100, the index for 1946 was 282. By I 958 it had risen to 389. It may be mentioned that since then· there has be~n a further rise. Nor can it be seriously suggested that this con cern cannot bear the burden of an incrca~ed wage scale. The Tribunal was, in our opinion, right in its conclusion that the material on record shows that the Company has been prospering and has financial

1962

The Hindustan Times Lid., New D1/hi •• Their Workmtn

D., Gupto, /.

1 S.C.R.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS

243

for ourselves examined

the stability. We have balance-sheets and the c>ther materials on the record and have no hesitation in agreeing with that conclu sion. Mr. Pathak's uphill task in the face of these balance-sheets already on the record to show that the Company would not be able to bear the burden of an increased wage scale has been made more difficult by the discovery that even after the imple mentation of the award the Company has made large profits during the years 1959-60, 1960-61 and 1961-62.

It appears that when the Company was given special leave to appeal to this Court the operation of the Tribunal's award was stayed only in so far as it directed the management to pay a_rrears of the wages determined thereby but the operation of the award in so far as it related to the payment of wages from the date of the award was not stayed; and the mana gement was directed to pay to the workmen from that date wageq in accordance with the wage scale fixed by the Tribunal by its award under appeal. The result of this has been that the Tribunal's award as regards the wage scales has been implemented with effect from the date of the award and it is possible for this Court to know how such additional payment has affected the financial position of the Company. It appears that after meeting the additional charges and also after payment of bonus and appropriation to reserves the net profits for the year 1959-60 rose to Rs. 8,0i,508/-. For the year 1960-61 these profits were Rs. 8,44,627/-. For the year 1961-62 the profits are shown in the balance-sheet as Rs. 59,955/-. That the Company has been prospering is clear. It has its own aeroplanes and possesses immovable properties It has built up good reserves of considerable value. and inspite of that it has been making good profits. It is reasonable to think that with the progress of education in the country and the increasing news mindedness of the people the future prospects of the Company are no less bright. On a consideration

1962

!ht HindtJs/IJn Tim~J Ltd., .1\'tw Dtlhi v. TMir JVorkmtn

l'c; :.:}ta, J,

244 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

of all this, we are clearly of opinion that .~fr. Pathak's contention that the wage scale fixe<l by the Tribu11al is too hravy for to bear, must be the Company rejcctrd.

Equally uuacccptablc is Mr. Pathak 's next contention that the wage scale fixed by the Tribunal operates unfavourably un this Comp.my vis-a-vis two othrr cr,ncerns in Delhi region, viz., the Times of India, Delhi and the Stat~sman, Delhi. \Ve have compared th~ \\age scales in tlit»e two concerm \'iz., the Times of India, Delhi anrl the Scatcsman, Delhi, with the wage scale under the award and have for the purpose of comparison takrn into consideration the dearness allowance as fixed by the Tribunal. The comparison shows that while in some cases the Company (the Hindustan Times) will have to pay more to its workmen than what is bcin(( paid to work men of the same c<llcgory by the Times of India, Delhi and the Statesman, Delhi, in se,·eral cases it will be less. It has also to be borne in mind that the Times of India, Delhi and the Statesman, Delhi, arc much smaller units of the newspaper industry than the Hindustan Times. These Companies are mere adjuncts to the Times of Incli.1, Bombay and the ;:,tatesnian, Calcutta, respectively. Th~reforc, even if for >ome categories the wage sea le under t be the Times of India, award is hig-ht~r than that in Delhi and the Statesman, Delhi, that \\'Ou!d be 110 groun::I for modifying the award in fa\'our of the Company. We have therefore come to cltr. cunclusion that there is no ground whatsoever. for murlifying the wage scale fixe<l by the award m favour of the Company.

On behalf of the workmen it was strenuouslv contended that the increase given hy the awar<l O\'~r the previous wage scale falls far short of justice. It is pointed out that even the Times of India, Delhi and the Statesman, Delhi, which ar~ much smaller

1962

The Hindustan Tim1s Ltd., A'ew Delhi v. 1'heir ~Vorkmtn

Du G1uita, J.

1 S.C.R.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS

245

concerns and of lesser financial stability and strength, pay to some categories of its workmen higher wages than what has been fixed by the award. Thus our attention has been drawn to the fact that for Assis tants, the Times of India, Delhi, rate is Rs. 241-402, and in the Statesman, Delhi, it is Rs. 190-297 for some and Rs. 264-463 for others while under the award the scale is Rs. 125-375. There are several other cases also where the wage scale under the award appear~ to be lower than what is being paid by the Times of India, Delhi and the Statesman, Delhi.

It has been urged by the learned Attorney General that in view of the fact that the wage scale of the Company has remained practically stationary for the last 12 years and that it is indisputably well below the fair wage and the further fact that even smaller concerns in this region, like the Times of India, Delhi and the ::>tatesman, Delhi, have been paying more to some categories of its workmen, the wage scale as fixed by the Tribunal should be raised at least for some of the categories. There is undoub tedly some force in the contention a'.ld it may be said that the Tribunal has been rather cautious in the matter of revision of wage scales. Even so, it has to be remembered that where, as in the present case, the proper principles have been applied by the Tri bunal, it is not the practice of this Court to interfere, ordinarily, with details of this nature whcu exercising its special jurisdiction under Art. 136 of the Consti tution. It also appears to us that the very fact that the Tribunal has been cautious in the matter of rai sing the wage scales has influenced it in the directions it has given on the question of adjustment of the In this way present employees into the wage scale. some relief has been given to the present employees which might otherwise have been given by raising the wage scale. On a consideration of all these facts we reached the conclusion that it will not be have

' , --

-'1962

~ -

'Thi Hilultatan Tim1s Lld., N1w Del/U •• Thir Workmm

DtU Gupta, J.

246 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

proper for us to modify - the wage scales fixed by the Tribunal in favour of the workmen also.

On the question of dearness allowance it is not disputed before us that in the Circumstances of the present case the Tribunal .icted rightly in awarding dearness allowance at a flat rate for all categories of

-c-. workmen. On behalf of the Company it was how ever urged that the Tribunal has made an obvious -mistake_ in_ fixing the amount of dearness allowance at Rs. 25/-. · -For fixing the rate at Rs. 25/- the Tri bunal has said : -

\· - \

"In view of the revised scales as now laid down, I think the same should further be supplement ed in the circumstances stated above by a flat rate -()f dearness allowance. in all cases: viz., -Rs. 25/- with. retrospective_ effect from the date - of reference so that the-lowest paidworker will I direct accor

start -not less than Rs. 75/-. dingly."

- Mr. Pathak points_ out that the _lowest paid worker _for whom wage scales have been fixed will be getting under the award a minimum of Rs. 60/- so that with --the dearness allowance of Rs. 25/- "the lowest paid - worker" will start at RS .. 85/- and not Rs. 75/-. - Mr. Pathak.' suggests that the Tribunal has made a mistake in its calculation's and that having decided · that the lowest paid worker will start at not less than Rs .. 75/-, it should have fixed Rs. 15/- and not Rs. 25/- - as the dearness allowance. . This argument however overlooks the _fact that the reference as regards the dearness allowance was in respect of all categories ·or- - workmen, though the -reference as regards scales- of pay did not cover some categories, i·iz., mazdoors and canteen boys. They therefore continue to remaln on their old scale of Rs. 50-3-!'5. When the Tribunal - -in considering' the question of dearness allowance was -_ -thinking of the starting pay of the lowest paid worker -

1962

Tiu Hindustan 1 imtJ Ltd., JW1 w Delhi v. Their Workmen

Dc.s Gupta, J.

I S.C.R.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS

247

it had obviously these categories in mind. Having concluded that the lowest paid worker should start at Rs. 75/· as the total amount of basic pay and dearness allowance the necessary conclusion reached by the Tribunal was that Rs. 25/- should be fixed as It is, in our opinion, proper the dearness allowance. and desiiabre-that the dearness allowance sheu!EI noc remain fixed at this figure but should be on a sliding scale. As was pointed out in Workmen of Hindusthan llfotors v. Hindusthan Motors (1 ), the whole purpose of dearness allowance being to neutralise a portion of the increase in the cost of living, it should ordi narily be on a sliding scale and provide for an increase on rise in the cost of living and a decrease on a fall in the cost of living. On a copsideration of all the circumstances of this case, we direct that a sliding scale be attached to the dearness allowance of Rs. 25/- per month as awarded by the Tribunal on the lines that it will be liable to be increased or decreased on the basis of Re. 1/- for every ten points in case of rise and fall in the cost ofli ving from the base of 400, the 1939 index being taken to be 100 the sliding scale to take effect from April I, 1959.

This brings us to the question of adjustment of 1he existing employees into the new scalr. The Tribunal has dealt with this matter thus :-

" .. _ ... the adjustment in the new scales shall be made with retrospective effect from the date of the reference, viz., 23rd January, 1958. In making adjustment in the new scales no one shall be adversely affected and it shall be on the line laid down by the Industrial Tribunal in the case of Caltex India Ltd., 1951 LLJ. 654 at p. 659 read with para. 23 of the decision of the Labour Appellate Tribunal, reported in 1952 LLJ. 183 at page 188." It appears that in the case of Caltex India Ltd., (Supra) the Industrial Tribunal, West Bengal, gave

(IJ (1962) 2 L.L.J. 352.

1~62

1111 llinfu.ilan 11mts Lttl., .Altw Dtllii v. 7fitir U'orAmtn

248 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

the following directions for adjustment of employers into the wage scale fixed by it.

"I. All employees for whom the scale has been stated above should be stepped up in the stage next above which the present pay is drawn. A specia 1 increment at the rate of one increment in the new scale for every three completed years of service should be given.

2. The employees whose salaries are less than the minimum prescribed will be pulled up to the minimum of the prescribed 5cale.

3. If the existing salary of an employee is higher than the salary he will be entitled to under the prcscr!!.Jed scale, there will be no cut and he will be stepped up to the nearest increase with the increments given above.

4. After the salaries are adjusted, no employee should be staggered and he will continue to get future increments.

5. If an employee be already drawing a salary which is higher than the maximum prescribed by the award, he will be subject· ed to no cut in his salary."

This was fo:lowed by a direction as regards the date by which the adjustment was to be made. The Labour Appellate Tribunal modified these directions by introducing two provisions : (I) that the maximum of the grade should not be exceeded and (2) that the basic wage that was being paid to an ~mployee at the date of the award of the Tribunal is not to be affected to the employees' prejudice The employer's objection is to the provision that a special increment at the rate of one increment in the new scale for every

1962

Thi I!induj/tJn Times Ltd., New Delhi v. Their Jt'orhmen

Das Gupta, J,

l S.C.R.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS

249

three completed years of service should be given. It is argued that such a provision may well be appro priate in a case where wage scale is being fixed for the first time or where even if there was already a wage scale in force the rate of increment in the new scale is much higher than that in the old wage scale, but not where, as in the present case, the increments under the new scale and the old scale are practically the same. We are not impressed by this argument.

As was pointed out by this Court in a recent judgment in French lliotor Oar Co., Ltd. v. I ts Workmen (1 ), what adjustment should be given is to be decided when fixing wage scales whether for the first time or in place of an old existing scale has to be decided by industrial adjudication after considera tion of all the circumstances of the case. It may well be true that in the absence of any special circums tances and adjustment of the nature as allowed in this case by allowing special increment in the new scale on the basis of service already rendered may not be appropriate. Clearly, however, in the present case the Tribunal took into consideration in deciding this question of adjustment the fact that it had been extremely cautious as regards increasing the old wage scales. Apparently, it thought that it would be fair to give some relief to the existing employees by means of such increase by way of adjustme11t while at the same time not burdening the employer with higher rates of wages for new incumbents. In these circums tances, we do not see any justification for interfering with the directions given by the Tribunal in the matter of adjustment.

It will be convenient to consider at this stage the objection raised in the Company's appeal to the Tribunal's direction in connection with the interim agreement. As has been stated earlier, this agree ment was arrived at between the parties when the dispute was before the Conciliation Officer. The

(I) (1962) 2 L.L.J. 744.

--

250 SUPREME COURT REP(lRTS (1964] VOL.

1962

relevant

portion

of

the

agreement

is m

Thi Hilld.u<an Timu these words :

w., N"" D1lhi v. Thrir w,,.,m .. DOJ Gup14, I.

"It is hereby agreed between the parties that:-

1. The Management agrees to make interim following terms to every relief on employee, excluding working journalists, drawing salary up to Rs. 400 p. m.

the

(i) Advance payment ranging between Rs. 6/· to Rs. 10/- per month beginn· ing from the month of November, 1957 in the following manner:-

(a) Those with annual increment of

Rs. 3/·, Rs. 4/·, and Rs. 5/ ·

Rs. 6/-

(b) Those with of Rs. 6/·

annual

increment Rs. 7/-

(c) Those with annual increment Rs. 8/-

of Rs. 7/·

(d) Those with annual increment Rs. 10/-

ofRs. 10/-

No#R-.

(i)

case any

In employee has already reached the ceiling of his grade, even then he would he entitled for the above benefit.

(ii) This payment will be adjusted against the final out-come of the present demands by constitutional means."

"The final out-come of the present demands by. constitutional means" is the Tribunal's award. Under the agreement therefore what has been received by

r:

1962

Tha Hindwtllll Timu Liii., N1w D11hi

v.

Their W or.bru•

Da1 Gupta, J.

-

1 s.c.R.- SUPREME COURT REPORTS

251

the workmen as advance payment at Rs. 6/- or Rs. 7/ or Rs. 8/- or Rs. IO/- per month as interim relief has to be adjusted against what is due .to be paid to them In other words, the Company is under the award. entitled under the agreement to deduct the payments made as iuterim relief from what is payable to these very employees under the award. The Tribunal's direction that the interim relief shall remain unaffec· ted is in effect an order that term (ii) of the agree ment need not be complied with. We can find no justification for such an order. While it is true that industrial adjudication can and often has to modifiy existing contracts between an employer and its work men, there can be no justification for modification of an agreement of this nature pending final settlement of a dispute. Such a direction that the solemn words of the workmen's representatives . that interim relief which may be given will be adjusted against the relief finally given need not be complied with, is not only unfair to the employer but is also not calculated to serve the best interests of the workmen themselves. For one thing, an order of this nature in one case by a Tribunal that such an undertaking need not be carried out is likely to hamper interim settlements generally; it is also not desirable that workmen should be encouraged to treat their undertakings as of no value. Industrial adjudication must be careful not to encourage bad faith on the part of the workmen or the employer. A direction as given by the Tribunal in this case that the term in the agreement that payments made will be adjusted against the final out come need not be complied with, is unfortunately to have such effect on workmen. We therefore set aside the Tribunal's direction that interim relief will remain unaffected and direct that adjustments should be made in terms of the said interim arrangement.

This brings us to the question of Leave Rules. The Company objects to the award as regards this matter in so far as it directs the Company to allow 15

1962

Thi HiMusl4n Tim1s Lid., N1w Delhi v. Tluir Workmm

D., G•/I 14, J.

252 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

day's sick leave with full pay and allowances with accumulation up to six months on production of medical certificate given by a registered medical It also objects to the direction that the practitioner. present practice as to insistence on previous applica tion for the purpose of casual leave should not be relaxed in cases where it cannot possibly be so done in emergent and unforeseen circumstances and the direction that up to 3 days no medical certificate should be asked for. the Management grants JO days' casual leave to the business staff and 7 days' casual leave to all the other categories and leave facility available.

It apJJears that at present

is no

there

sick

Mr. Pathak has tried to convince us that in view of the provisions of the Employees' State Insu rance Act, 1948, no provision need be made about sickness leave at al]; That this Act has been applied to the Company and that the workmen of the Comp any get the benefit of this Act is not disputed. It is difficult to see however how the benefit that the work men will get under this Act can affect the question of sickness leave being provided for the workmen. This Act it has to be noticed d0es not provide for any leave to the workmen on the ground of sickness. It provides ins. 46 (1) (a) for periodical treatment of any insured person in case of his sickness if certified by a duly appointed medical practitioner. It is unnecessary to mention here the several provisions in the Act; viz., Sections, 47, 48 and 49 which deal with the eligibility of workmen for sickness benefit and the extent of the benefit that may be granted. Section 56 of the Act provides for medical benefits to the insured workman or in certain cases to the members of his family. It appears to us clear how ever that in providing for periodical payments to an insured worker in case of sickness (sickness benefit) or for medical treatmrnt or attendance to him or the members of his family, the legislature did not intend

1962

TM Hindustan Timt1 Ltd., New JJe/hi y, Tluir Workmen

Du Gupta, J.

1 S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS

253

to substitute any of these benefits for the workmen's right to get leave on full pay on the ground of sickness.

It is next contended that the Tribunal's direc tion as regards sickness leave offend the provisions of Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954. Admi the ttedly, a large number of workmen covered by reference are governed by the provisions as regards leave under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954. Section 22 of that Act fixes the maxi mum for sickness or casual leave with wages to a period of 12 days and further provides that such It is thus clear leave shall not be accumulated. that as regards those workmen to whom the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 applies the Tribunal has acted illegally in fixing the period of sick leave at 15 days and permitting accumula.tion. We therefore set aside this direction in the award . and direct instead that the Company shall allow to the workmen to whom the Delhi Shops and Es tablishments Act, 1954 applies, sickness or casual leave of a pay total of I 2 days with that such leave shall not and allowances and be accumulated. We are also of opinion that it will not be right to have two separate leave rules for the two classes of workmen, one to whom the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954 applies and the other two whom it does not apply. For that is likely to be a source of much discord and heartburning. There fore, in respect also of those workmen to whom the Delhi Shops and E~tablishments Act, 1954 does not apply, we think that the same period of 12 days in a year with full pay and allowances should be fixed for sickness or causal leave, and there should be no and we direct accumultation of such accordingly.

leave;

full

We cannot find any ju~tification for the direction of the Trib:mal that the practice of insistence on

1962

TA. Hindiul m Tim1J Ltd., Ntr.o Dtlhi v. Tlllir Workm,.

DtU GuptA, J.

254 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964] VOL.

previous application for the purpose of casual leave should be relaxed in cases where it cannot possibly be so done in emergent and unforeseen circumstances and that upto 3 days no medical certificate should be asked for. The leave rules of the Company as they now stand provide that ordinarily previous permission of the head of the departmtnt and the Establishment Manager shall be obtained before casual leave is taken but that when this is not possible due to sudden the head of the Department or the Manager as soon as may be practicable should be informed in writing of the absence from work and In our of the probable duration of such absence. opinion, this provision is reasonable and is calculated to meet the needs of workmen for taking leave with In out previous permission, in case of emergency. these circumstances, the further directions as regards this that have been given by the Tribunal appear to us to be unnecessary and are hereby set aside.

illness,

On the question of gratuity, the only argument seriously pressed by Mr. Pathak was that the scheme as framed by the Tribunal would put undue strain on the Company'• sources. We have already expressed our agreement with the Tribunal's conclusion that the Company's financial resources are strong and stable and that not only has the Company been pros pering in recent years but that its future prospects are also bright. Therefore, we do not thmk that the scheme of gratuity as framed by the Tribunal is unduly favourable to the workmen or that it places any undue ~train on the Company's financial resources.

One provision in the gratuity scheme which ought to be mentioned is that under it an employee who is dismissed for misconduct shall not be entitled It has been pointed out by this to any gratuity. Court in more than one case that having regard to the natu.re of gratuity it will not b~ proper to deprive

I S.C.R. SUPREME COURT REPORTS

255

an employee of the gratuity earned by him because of his dismissal for misconduct and the proper provi sion to make in this connection is that where an employee is dismissed for misconduct which has resulted in financial loss to the employer the amount lost should be deducted from the amount of gratuity due. As however in the present case, the workmen have not appealed against the award as regards the gratuity scheme framed by the Tribunal, it will not be proper for us to make the modification as indicated above.

1962

Ti't1 Hindwtan Timu Ltd., New D1lhi v. T/uir Work-

Das Gupta, J,

Coming now to the question of retirement age on which the workmen have appealed, we find there is some . controversy· as regards the existing position. The workmen stated in their written statement before the Tribunal that "at present there are no set rules in the Company in this matter." Their claim was that the retirement age should be fixed at 60 for all the employees of the Company. According to the Management's written statement "the existing super annuation system is that the age of retirement is fixed at 55." The Magagement further stated that the age ofretirement "as fixed, that is, 55 years" is appro priate and should not be raised. ln respect of this controversy as rt'gards the existing position there appears to be little material on the record. From the appointment letters of some of the employees that we find on the record it appears that for some appointments made in 1955 the age of retirement In the several letters of was mentioned as 55. appointments made prior to that year no age of retirement has been mentioned. It is not clear, there fore, how on the question of retirement age the Tribunal proceeded on the basis that the "existing retirement" age is 55. Proceeding on this basis the Tribunal directed "that the existing retirement age at 55 years should continue but the workers may be allowed to remain in employment and work up to 60 years if found fit. The question of the further extension

1962

..

Tiu Hindustan Times ltd., Ntw Delhi

Tluir U'ork11Un

IJos Gupta, J.

256 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1964J VOL.

should rest with the discretion of the Manage mcu t." On behalf of the workmen the learned Attorney-General has contended that the assumption that the existing retirement a5e is 55 is wrong in res· pect of most of the workmen and that except for a few persons appointed after 1955 no retirement age is fixed either in the letlers uf appointment or in the standing orders of the Company. For all these employees for whom no retirement age has been fixed already, the leamed Attorney-General argues on the basis of the decision of this Court in Guest Kun, Williams Private Ltd., v. P . .J. Sterling., (1) that it would not be fair to fix any age of superannuation. It was held in that case that it was unfair to fix the age of superannuation of previous employees by a subsequent standing order. The Labour Appellate Tribunal had held that it would be unreasonable and unfair to introduce a condition of retirement at the age of 55 in regard to the prior employees having regard to the fact that when they entered service there was no such limitation. This Court felt that it would not be justified in reversing this decision of the Labour Appellate Tribunal. Dealing next with the question whether it followed that there should be no rule of superannuation in regard to these previous employees the Court said :

"In our opinion it is necessary to fix the age of superannuation even with regard to the prior employees, ancl we feel no difficulty in holding that it would not be unfair or unreasonable to direct that these employees should retire on attaining the age of 60. An option to continue in service even thereafter which the respondent claimed is wholly unreasonable and is entirely inconsistent wi~h the notion of fixing the age of superannuation itself. Once the age of supera to the nnuation is employer for special reasons to continue in its employm!!nt a workman who has passed that

it may be open

fixed

(!) [t960] I S.C.R. 348.

1 S.C.R.

SUPREME COURT REPORTS

257

age : but it is inconceivable that when the age of superannuation is fixed it should be in the option of the employee to continue in service thereafter. We would accordingly hold that in the circumstances of this case the rule of retire ment for the previous employees in the concern should be 60 instead of 55 and that the rule of 55 should apply to all employees who enter the snvice of the appellant after the relevant standing orders came into force."

1962 n. Hinawta• r .. ., Ltd., N1w Dllhi •• T1uir Wor.bnen

DOI Gu;ta, /,

Assuming therefore that for the majority of the employees there is no existing retirement age it would on the atithority of the above case, be open to the Tribunal to fix the age of s11perannuation even with respect to them. As however the Tribunal's decision that this age should be 55 is vitiated by the incorrect assumption that there is an existing retirement age of 55 it has been necessarv for us to consider the question . for ourselves. It· appears that before the Tribunal the Union's representative himself desired that the retirement age should be fixed at 58 years which may be extended up to 60 years in fit cases. Before us the Counsel for the\Company. did not seriously contest that in consideration of the present day circumstances in the country it would be fair to fix the retirement age at 58. Accordingly, we set aside the Tribunals award on this question of retire ment age and fix the age at 58 years, subject to the proviso that it will be open to the Company to continue in its employment a workman who has passed that age. This rule should apply to all the employees of the Company.

There remains for consideration the question of retrospective operation of the award. Under s. 17 A of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, an award effect from shall such date as may be but where no date into

specified is so specified it shall come

operation with

therein

· come

into

258 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1964] VOL.

1961

'1711 HiMJut .. T ""'·' L'i., N1w Dtlhi ••

7ltir Worhn1n

Dtu Gupto, J.

tribunal

the a ward becomes operation 011 the date when ~nforceable. Even without a specific reference being made on this question it is open to an indus· trial its discretion a date in from which it shall come into operation. The refc· rence, in the present case, included as a matter in dispute the question of retrospective effect in these words:

to fix

"Whether all the above demands shou Id be made applicable retrospectively with effect from April I, , 956 and what directions are necessary in this respect ?"

from

effect

The Tribunal rejrcted the workmen's claim for giving . effect to its award from April I 956. the Tribunal has given relief the Wherever however the award should come Tribunal has directed that the date of reference, i. e., into January 23, 1958. On behalf of the Company Mr. Pathak contends that there is no reason why the award should be given effect to from any date prior to the date of its pronouncement. We are not impressed by this argument . No general formula can be laid down as to the date from which a Tribunal should make its award effective. That question has to be decided by the Tribunal on a consideration of circumstances of each case. There have been cases where this Court has made an award effective from the date when the demand was first made. There are other cases where the orders of the Tribunal directing the award to be made effective from the date of the award has not been It is true that in some cases this interfered with. Court has modified the Tribunal's award in such a case. But it does not appear however that any general principles have been laid down. Indeed, it is difficult and not even desirable that this Court should try to lay down general principles on such matters that require careful consideration of the

l S.C.R. SUPREME GOUR T REPORTS

259

peculiar circumstances of each case for the exercise f'f discretion. It is sufficient to say that we find <10 reason to interfere with the Tribunal's direction in this case that the reliefs given by it would become effective from the date of the reference.

1962

The Hindustan Times Ltd., N1w Delhi v. Their Wor~m111

Das Gupta. J

We therefore allow both the appeals in part the Tribunal's award as regards by modifying dearness allowance, leave rules and retirement age and also as regards the adjustment of the interim In all other matters in relief as mentioned above. appeal before us the award is confirmed. The modi fications made as regards dearness allowance will, as already stated, take effect from April l, 1959. The modifications as regards leave rules and as regards retirement age will take effect from this date. In both the appeals the parties will bear their own costs.

Appeals allowed in part.

1962

December, 17

OM PRAKASH GUPTA

•

v.

RATTAN SINGH AND ANOTHER

(B. P. SINHA, c. J., P. B. GAJENDRAGADKAR, K. N. WANCHOO, K. C. DAS GUPTA and J.C. SHAH, JJ.)

Rent Control-Tenant availing benefit-Denyinq relation ship-Jurisdiction of Rent Controller-Delhi Rent Control Act (Act LIX of 1958), '· 15.

The appellant was sought to be evicted by the landlord on the ground that be had habitually defaulted in the payment of rent as well as on the ground of the bonafide requirement of the land-lord for his own occupation. He resisted the suit inter alia on the ground that the premises had been let to the