Ganapati Bhikarao Naik Vs Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (Supreme Court of India)
Factual Background: The brief facts of this case are the appellant obtained employment with the respondent as a family member of the land loser whose land was acquired for the Kaiga Atomic Power Project. The appellant, son-in-law of the land-loser, was then interviewed for the job and given appointment as a ‘Helper’ in the respondent corporation. In course of time there was a matrimonial dispute aroused in the family and a divorce petition was filed. The father-in-law of the appellant made a complainant to the respondent stating that appellant is not a family member and not entitled to get the job in the land loser quota. Respondent investigated the matter and terminated the services of the appellant, resulting, the appellant raised an industrial dispute which was referred to Central Government Industrial Tribunal cum Labour Court (“Labour Court”). The Labour Court relying on the documentary evidence held that appellant is son-in-law of the land loser and ordered reinstatement with back wages. The High Court reversed the decision of the Labour Court, finally the matter reached the Supreme Court.
Decision: The Supreme Court held that the relevant material reflecting the marriage of the appellant with Smt. Ganga, daughter of land loser, was ignored by the Writ Court. The Court also failed to appreciate that the learned Labour Court reached the factual conclusion, after due consideration of the material evidence. Such factual finding of the Labour Court should not normally be disturbed by a Writ Court without compelling reason. With this observation the Supreme Court passed an order with reinstatement without back wages.
