In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court has condemned the misuse of temporary contracts by public institutions to deny long-serving workers the benefits of permanent employment. The Court made it clear that authorities cannot hide behind the 2006 Uma Devi judgment to justify keeping workers in precarious conditions for years.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Prasanna B. Varale ruled in favor of a group of gardeners employed by the Horticulture Department of Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam since 1998-1999. These workers, despite years of continuous service, were denied official appointment letters, minimum wages, and job security. Their employment was abruptly terminated in 2005 without any formal notice or compensation.
The workers had initially sought justice through labor courts, which issued conflicting rulings. The High Court later allowed their re-engagement on daily wages but denied full reinstatement, prompting them to appeal to the Supreme Court.
The apex court rejected the argument that a recruitment ban justified denying them regularization. It emphasized that municipal work is inherently ongoing and that the gardeners had performed duties identical to those of permanent employees. By withholding employment benefits, the authorities were engaging in deliberate exploitation.
The Court further noted that Indian labor laws do not support indefinite temporary employment when the nature of the work is permanent. Employers failing to produce complete records of workers’ service could not use technicalities to deny them rights.
Ordering the Municipality to initiate the regularization process within six months, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that long-serving workers performing essential functions cannot be treated as disposable labor.