Madras HC bats for welfare of inter-state migrant workers, seeks report from Centre, state

CHENNAI: Observing that proper enumeration of migrant workers is necessary and they should not be exploited by employers, a division bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday suo motu impleaded the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment. The court also directed the state to file a detailed report on inter-state migrants, employers and contractors involved in employing them as mandated by the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act.

The division bench comprising justices MM Sundresh and R Hemalatha passed the directions on a plea moved by Chennai-based sociologist T Venkata Naga Narasimham.

According to the petitioner, the contractors -- both registered and unregistered -- are in the process of receiving them back to the state. The workers are paid very low salaries. They have not been covered and protected despite the Act.

The court observed that there are reports of migrants coming back to the state and complete data on them is required as mandated by the Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act of 1979.

The counsel for the petitioner also raised queries on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) put forth by the state and whether they are being complied with.

The state advocate general Vijay Narayan contended that almost 2,500 factories with 4 lakh migrant workers along with contractors have been registered under the Inter-State Migrant Workmen Act.

The state advocate general also sought time to file the comprehensive data on the migrants along with the employers and contractors involved.

However, the division bench observed, "The state has to be equipped with the interstate migrants data and registration has to be done as per the Act giving them due recognition."

The court also suo motu impleaded the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment seeking the steps initiated for the development of interstate migrants.

The court also recorded the submissions made by the District Legal Services Authority on the plight of migrant workers across the state.

The court issued directions to the state and central government to file a comprehensive report on interstate migrants and adjourned the plea to October 28.