Authority: Supreme Court of India

Order Date: 12-10-2026

Case Overview

  • Petitioners: Commissioner, Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai; Respondent: Kachara Vahatuk Shramik Sangh.
  • The dispute stems from an award dated 22‑03‑2021 passed by the Industrial Tribunal, Mumbai (Reference IT No.81 of 2005) in favour of the Sangh, covering 580 members.
  • As of the hearing date, 344 members have been identified and paid their dues; for 42 of these members the exact payable amount remains disputed and is under verification.
  • The remaining members (the balance of the 580) have not been located or paid, and the petitioner's efforts have reached a dead‑end.
  • Applications for condonation of delay and multiple extensions of time (IA Nos. 339066/2025, 339064/2025, 160890/2026) were before the Court.

Final Outcome

1. The Court condoned the delay in filing the extension of time applications.

2. Parties must approach the Maharashtra State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA) with a complete list of all remaining workers, including full residence details, within two months.

3. The MSLSA Member Secretary shall forward the list to the District Legal Services Authority, whose para‑legal volunteers will locate the workers or their heirs; this exercise must be completed within two months.

4. If any member or heir is located, the petitioner must pay the full dues to that person within one month, in accordance with the order dated 03‑03‑2025 in SLP(C) No.7316 of 2025.

5. The above steps are in addition to any other mode the petitioner, in cooperation with the respondent, may undertake for payment.

6. The applications for extension of time and the miscellaneous application are disposed of as per the above terms.

7. The matter will be listed before the Court every three months to review up‑to‑date details of the exercise, ensuring vigilance and preventing abandonment.

8. Parties are directed to take a proactive role to ensure that the dues reach the lowest‑strata members or their heirs at the earliest.

9. Any aggrieved party (petitioner, respondent, or located member/heir) may file an application directly in this matter after first approaching the Grievance Redressal Committee set up by the petitioner; the Committee must decide the grievance within one month.

10. Any pending applications, if any, stand disposed of.

Topics: Court Order, Workers’ Dues, Legal Compliance