Hyderabad, 8 August
Telangana High Court Orders Minimum Wages for Workers at Police Stations
The Telangana High Court has directed the state Home Department to pay minimum wages to 49 sweepers, scavengers and contingent workers engaged at police stations across the Rachakonda Commissionerate and the districts of Nalgonda, Suryapet and Yadadri.
Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka issued the interim directions while hearing a petition filed by the workers, who sought payment of minimum wages and arrears from the date of their initial appointment.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on August 17.
Workers Seek Minimum Wages and Arrears
The petitioners told the Telangana High Court that they had been working for several years at police stations, district police offices and reserve police units.
According to the workers, they were being paid only a consolidated lump-sum wage, instead of the minimum wages prescribed under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
The petitioners argued that similar cases had previously been decided in favour of workers by the High Court and that those judgments had subsequently been upheld by the Supreme Court.
They therefore sought minimum wages along with arrears calculated from the date they were first appointed.
Government Opposes Plea
The government pleader opposed the petition and argued that the workers were part-time or outsourced contingent staff engaged through a cooperative society.
The government submitted that the workers had been paid according to government orders issued from time to time.
It was also argued that fixing minimum wages involved policy and budgetary considerations and that such matters fell within the government’s administrative and financial domain.
High Court Directs Payment of Minimum Wages
After hearing arguments from both sides, the Telangana High Court directed the authorities to pay the workers minimum wages as determined by the concerned district collectors under the Minimum Wages Act.
The court also referred to the relevant gazette notification dated October 3, 2016, along with subsequent revisions to the applicable minimum wages.
The court clarified that the interim payment directions would remain subject to the final outcome of the petition.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on August 17.
What the Court’s Order Means
The interim order provides relief to the 49 workers who claimed they had been receiving consolidated wages despite working for several years at police establishments.
However, the High Court has not finally disposed of the petition. The payments directed under the interim order will remain subject to the final decision in the case.