Madurai: The Madras High Court Bench here has
ruled that minority educational institutions are not exempt
from implementing labour laws and are bound to follow them.
The ruling was given by Justice K Chandru while allowing a
writ petition filed by the management of Manal Madha Higher
Secondary school in Tuticorin district against the award
passed by the Tirunelveli labour court, directing the school
to reinstate an employee who had been denied work since 1992.
Justice Chandru also advised the labour court, which gave
its direction in 2004, not to give "ambiguous orders" without
giving reasons and discussing merits before passing an order
in favour or against a litigant.
Even if a party failed to appear before the court, it was
bound to give reasons, he said.
The award was passed following an industrial dispute raised
by an attender of the school who was denied work from Aug 13,
1992.
The labour court ordered to reinstate the attender without
discussing the merits of the case.
The school submitted that the provisions of the Industrial
Disputes Act (IDA) would not apply to the minority
educational institutions, and educational institutions would
not come under the term "Industry".
Rejecting the school's argument on both grounds, Justice
Chandru said even minority institutes are bound to implement
labour laws.
PTI
First Published: Monday, November 14, 2011, 15:20