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PETITIONER: DR. DAMODAR PANDA ETC.

       Vs.

RESPONDENT: STATE OF ORISSA ETC.

DATE OF JUDGMENT16/07/1990

BENCH: MISRA RANGNATH BENCH: MISRA RANGNATH KULDIP SINGH (J)

CITATION:  1990 AIR 1901            1990 SCR  (3) 390  1990 SCC  (4)  11        JT 1990 (3)   196  1990 SCALE  (2)93

ACT:     Inter-State  Migrant Workmen (Regulation  of  Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979: Section 20     Provisions  of the Act -Implementation of--Direction  by Supreme  Court--Officers  of originating  State  of  Migrant Labour--Can hold enquiries within the limits of the  Recepi- ent State for enforcement of the Act.

HEADNOTE:     In these petitions on the question: as to how the provi- sions  of  the Inter-State Migrant  Workmen  (Regulation  of Employment  and Condition of Service) Act, 1979 can  be  en- forced. Disposing the Writ Petitions, this Court,     HELD:  1.  Inter State Migrant  Workmen  (Regulation  of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1979 is a benefi- cial  legislation for satisfying the provisions of the  Con- stitution and the obligation in international agreements  to which India is a party. There is no valid justification  for not permitting the officers of the Originating State to hold appropriate  enquiries in the Recepient State in  regard  to persons  of the Originating State Working as migrant  labour in the Recepient State. [391D-E]     2.  To implement the provisions of the Act  every  State and  Union  Territory in India would be  obliged  to  permit officers of originating States of migrant labour for holding appropriate  inquiries  within the limits of  the  Recepient States for enforcement of the statute and no Recepient State shall place any embargo or hindrance in such process. [391G]

JUDGMENT: ORIGINAL JURISDICTION: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 511 of 1988. WITH Writ Petition (Civil) No. 975 of 1988. 391 (Under Article 32 of the Constitution of India). K.V. Sreekumar, (N.P.) for the Petitioners.     V.C. Mahajan, A.K. Panda, Ms. C.K. Sucharita, and Ms. A.

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Subhashini for the Respondents. The Court delivered the following Order:     One  of  the matters which arises for  consideration  in this  Writ  Petition  is as to how  the  provisions  of  the inter-state  Migrant Workmen (Regulation of  Employment  and Conditions  of Service) Act, 1979, and particularly of  sec- tion  20 thereof can be enforced. In the affidavit filed  by the  Union  of India in the Ministry of labour it  has  been stated that in view of the scheme contained in section 20(3) of  the Act that officer of the Originating State  can  make enquiries within the Recepient State provided the  Recepient State  agrees  to  such Officers of  the  Originating  State operating within that State, the law has not become workable in a proper way. This is a beneficial legislation for satis- fying the provisions of the Constitution and the  obligation in international agreements to which India is a party. We do not  think  there  can be any valid  justification  for  not permitting  the  officers of the Originating State  to  hold appropriate  enquiries in the Recepient State in  regard  to persons  of the Originating State working as migrant  labour in  the Recepient State. We do not think that there  is  any necessity  to hear the other States before making  an  order for enforcing section 20(3) and to give effect to the legis- lative intention contained therein.     Mr.  Panda appearing for the State of Orissa has  agreed that Orissa State has no objection to officers of any origi- nating State holding necessary enquiries within Orissa  when it is a Recepient State. We would, therefore, make a  direc- tion  that  to implement the provisions of the Act  of  1979 referred  to above every State and Union Territory in  India would be obliged to permit Officers of originating States of migrant labour for holding appropriate inquiries within  the limits of the Recepient States for enforcement of the  stat- ute  and no Recepient State shall place any embargo or  hin- drance in such process. Copy of this order shall be sent  to the  Chief Secretary of every State and Union Territory  for compliance. We  are cognizant of the fact that this order has been  made with- 392 out  hearing  the  States other than Orissa  and  the  Union Territories. In the event of any State or Union Territory is of the opinion that the direction should be modified, liber- ty is given to apply for modification of the order but until it is modified it shall remain in force. The Writ  Petitions are disposed of with this order. No costs. T.N.A. Petitions disposed of. 393