Independent Contractors Not Employees under Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923: HC

Latha Vs T V Sahadevan (Kerala High Court) In the case of “Latha & Anr. vs. T V Sahadevan & Ors,” the Kerala High Court ruled that an independent contractor is not an employee under the Employee’s Compensation Act, 1923 (ECA). The court argued that the EC Commissioner’s decision to dismiss the claim was incorrect, as the deceased was not an employee and could be considered a petty contractor. The court considered precedents to distinguish between independent contractors and workmen, and between contract for service and contract of service. It observed that an in...