Blow to Kejriwal govt as Delhi HC quashes order revising minimum wages

The decision came while hearing over several pleas filed by companies and industrial units in the national capital region which employ workers on minimum wages.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | August 4, 2018 09:39 PM IST

2 min read

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Minimum wages for workers across Delhi were increased by 37 per cent after Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal approved the AAP government’s proposal. (Express photo by Renuka Puri)

Handing a major blow to the Aam Aadmi Party-led government, the Delhi High Court on Saturday quashed its 2017 notification which revised the minimum wages for all classes of workers in all scheduled employment. The court cited that the decision was ultra vires the constitution.

Ultra vires refer to something which is beyond the powers of the authority taking the decision.

As per the notification, the minimum wages for unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled labour were fixed at Rs 13,500, Rs 14,698 and Rs 16,182, respectively. The decision came while hearing over several pleas filed by companies and industrial units in the national capital region which employ workers on minimum wages.

The companies in their plea contended that the Arvind Kejriwal government did not take into account their view before issuing the notification revising the minimum wages.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also quashed the Delhi government notification setting up an advisory panel on minimum wages, saying both decisions were taken in contravention of principles of natural justice and without sufficient material and were invalid, PTI reported.

Minimum wages for workers across Delhi were increased by 37 per cent after Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal approved the AAP government’s proposal in March 2017. The file initially was blocked by then LG Najeeb Jung.

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