SC Pulls Up Authorities Over Non-Compliance in LPSC Workers’ Case

In a significant relief to daily wage labourers engaged at an ISRO-linked facility, the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday ordered their regularisation, observing that authorities failed to comply with binding judicial directions to grant them permanent status.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a plea filed by workers employed at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) in Mahendragiri.

The workers had challenged a judgment of the Madras High Court, which dismissed their petition against the “Gang Labourers (Employment for Sporadic Types of Work) Scheme, 2012”.

In its order, the apex court said the State, as a model employer, cannot treat a section of its workforce with arbitrariness or indifference, especially those contributing to nationally significant programmes.

The ruling is expected to have wider implications for contractual and daily wage workers engaged in government-linked projects.