HC had earlier quashed the govt’s notification on wages
Contractual employees attached with the Delhi government, its boards and corporations will be eligible for enhanced minimum wages of rates that were quashed by the Delhi High Court in August. The Delhi Cabinet took a decision in this regard on Thursday. The HC order, dated August 4, does not bar the government from paying enhanced wages to people working under it, an official statement said. The HC had struck down the government notification on wages, terming it as “hurried”. The order added that adequate consultations were not held with stakeholders before taking the decision.
“If reduced payments were made as a result of the orders of HC or if any deductions were made, such personnel shall be paid balance amounts equal to the amount of reduction or deduction for the entire intervening period on or before October 31 to enable them to celebrate Diwali in a meaningful way,” the statement said.
The revised wages, which were fixed in 2017, were Rs 13,350 per month for unskilled workers, Rs 14,698 for semi-skilled and Rs 16,182 for skilled workers. The Cabinet directed the Chief Secretary to ensure that all the reductions and deductions made after the HC order till October 18 are credited to the accounts of the eligible workers. Meanwhile, the government has already moved the Supreme Court to restore its original notification.