Development Officers Working in LIC Are Not Workmen under Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 States SC

The Supreme Court of India has ordered that the development officers working in Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) are not workmen under the Section 2 (s) of the Industrial Disputes Act (IDA) , 1947.

  • Section 2 (s) of the Industrial Disputes Act (IDA) , 1947 provides for definition of the workman. According to act, a workman means (including an apprentice) employed in any industry or any area of working filed to do any manual, unskilled, skilled, technical, operational, clerical or supervisory work for hire or reward.
  • The decision was given by a Supreme Court of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Prafulla C Pant.
  • The Supreme Court bench gave the ruling while hearing an appeal by few development officers of LIC (Industrial Tribunals-cum-Labour Courts) who had challenged the decision of Allahabad HC.
  • The case relates to the reduction of salary of the development officers by the LIC. It reduced the salary after it found that they were allegedly claiming inflated incentive bonus to which they were not entitled.
  • However, the tribunal declined the humble request of maintainability and answered the other issues in favour of the development officers and directed the LIC for restitution of pay-scale and payment of the arrears that was due to the development officers.

Examrace Team at Aug 22, 2021