Supreme Court: Interpreting the provisions of Sections 33C(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 vis-à-vis a Voluntary Retirement Scheme framed by the State of Andhra Pradesh, the Court said that though there is cessation of relationship between the employee and the employer in VRS but if it does not cover the past dues like lay-off compensation, subsistence allowance, etc., the workman would be entitled to approach the Labour Court under Section 33C(2) of the Act.
Explaining the position of law, the Court said that if the VRS had mentioned about the lay-off compensation, needless to say, the claim would have been covered and the amount received by the workmen would have been deemed to have been covered the quantum of lay-off compensation. If it is specifically covered, or the language of VRS would show that it covers the claim under the scheme, no forum will have any jurisdiction. However, on a perusal of the VRS framed by the State of Andhra Pradesh, the Court noticed that it did not deal with the lay-off compensation and hence, said that the workmen is entitled to approach the Labour Court.
The 3-Judge Bench of Dipak Misra, V. Gopala Gowda and Kurian Joseph, JJ was deciding the reference made by the 2-Judge Bench in an appeal from the decision of the Andhra Pradesh High Court where it was held that once the workmen had availed the Voluntary Retirement Scheme and received the special compensation package, they could not have put forth a claim for lay-off compensation under Section 33C(2) of the Act. [A. Satyanarayana Reddy v. Presiding Officer, Labour Court, 2016 SCC OnLine SC 1059, decided on 30.09.2016]