PepsiCo India Holding P. Ltd. v. Grocery Market & Shops Board
Background
This order does not decide the main case. The dispute was whether and how the welfare scheme under the Maharashtra Mathadi, Hamal and Other Manual Workers (Regulation of Employment and Welfare) Act, 1969 applies to the appellant company's workers at specific locations. The Bombay High Court had sent the company to raise the dispute before the State Government under Section 5 of the Act.
Decision Breakdown
This is not a final decision on the main case. The Court gave the company a further 12 weeks to raise the dispute before the Government and directed the Government to decide it within a further three months. An existing interim order was continued in the meantime. The Court said it had not considered the appeal on merits and that all contentions available to both sides were left open.
Lesson Learnt
There is no final ruling yet on whether or how the welfare scheme applies to these workers. The State Government must decide the dispute first, within the time the Court set.