Employee Transfer Valid if Standing Orders Don’t Contradict Service Contract: SC

Divgi Metal Wares Ltd. Vs Divgi Metal Wares Employees Association & Anr. (Supreme Court of India) Transfer is valid when nothing in standing orders operate in derogation of contract of service.  The appellant is into manufacturing of automobile gears at two of its factories located in Pune, Maharashtra and other in Sirsi, Karnataka. The respondent is a registered trade union. Clause 20 of the certified standing orders provide for transfer of the employees within the establishment across its branches or departments. Any refusal to accept the transfer amounts to misconduct. Clause 31 provid...