Authority: Supreme Court of India

Order Date: 03-08-2026

Case Overview

  • Parties: M/S. Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (Petitioner) vs. M/S. Daily Wages Labour Union / Dainik Bhogi Mazdoor Sangh & Anr. (Respondents).
  • Petition Numbers: Special Leave to Appeal (C) Nos. 25065‑25067/2025, arising from impugned final judgment and order dated 19‑08‑2025 in CCC No. 928/2025.
  • Background:
  • The Central Government Industrial Tribunal (CGIT) award dated 04‑07‑2014 (Reference No.47 of 2007) directed BSNL not to remove workers and to regularise 110 workers at its Daltonganj, Ranchi unit, with a requirement to regularise 20‑25 persons annually over five years; the award was published on 17‑02‑2015.
  • This award was challenged in WP(L) No.2535 of 2021, leading to a common order dated 04‑08‑2022.
  • An order dated 19‑01‑2023 in LPA 425 of 2022 was issued as an off‑shoot of the above challenge.
  • Contempt proceedings (Contempt Petition No.925 of 2025) were initiated for alleged violation of the 19‑01‑2023 order.
  • An execution petition (Execution Case No.11/2001) for the award has been filed but not taken up due to pendency of the parent SLP.

Observations & Reasoning

  • The Court observed that workmen, either individually or through their union, cannot “ride two boats at a time”; i.e., they cannot pursue contempt proceedings while execution proceedings are pending.
  • Since execution proceedings are already in motion, the contempt petition cannot survive.
  • The Court expressly set aside/dropped the contempt proceedings.
  • The Court reserved liberty to the executing court to proceed in accordance with law and directed that the execution petition be disposed of expeditiously on merits.
  • All Special Leave Petitions are therefore disposed of, and any pending applications, if any, are also disposed of.

Final Outcome

  • Contempt proceedings (Contempt Petition No.925 of 2025) are set aside/dropped.
  • Execution petition No.11/2001 concerning the CGIT award is to be expedited and decided on merits.
  • Special Leave Petitions (Nos. 25065‑25067/2025) are disposed of.
  • Any pending applications are disposed of.

Topics: Labor Dispute, Telecom Sector, Court Order