Chief Executive Officer, Zilla Parishad, Ahmednagar v. Janardhan Appasaheb Barde Etc.
Background
The Zilla Parishad had earlier lost before the Labour Court and the High Court in a dispute with its employee, Janardhan Appasaheb Barde, with interest awarded at 12% per annum on his dues. The Supreme Court had subsequently dismissed the Zilla Parishad's civil appeals on merits, though it reduced the interest rate from 12% to 8% per annum. Aggrieved by this outcome, the Zilla Parishad filed review petitions seeking reconsideration of that decision.
Decision Breakdown
The Supreme Court condoned the delay in filing the review petitions but dismissed the request for an open-court hearing. It held that the Labour Court's and High Court's findings on merits were justified, and that its own earlier order (which had already scaled down the interest rate) disclosed no error apparent on the face of the record. Finding no ground warranting interference, the Court dismissed the review petitions.
Lesson Learnt
A review petition is not a second appeal: the Supreme Court will only reopen a final decision where there is an "error apparent on the face of the record," not merely because a party remains dissatisfied with the outcome.