HC seeks Gujarat's response to PIL seeking minimum wages

The Gujarat High Court directed the state government to file its reply to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking minimum wages for part-time class four employees working in Gujarat.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala sought Gujarat government's response by the next hearing scheduled on August 13 over the PIL which alleges that less wages have been paid to around one lakh part-time employees.
The PIL, filed by a city-based trade union Gujarat Rajya Anshkalin Karmchari Mandal, alleged the state government and its departments have been paying a meagre amount of Rs 1,350 per month to their part-time employees.

These part-time employees, who have been working six hours per day, should be paid as per the minimum wages of Rs 221 per day, but at present, they are being paid Rs 45 per day, the PIL alleged.
"Employees, who had earlier approached the High Court, are being paid as per rules for minimum wages but those who did not seek any legal remedies have been deprived of minimum wages," the PIL said.
The PIL further said these part-time employees include class-four employees working under the various state government-run departments or agencies.
It has alleged the state government has not even revised the wage-scale since 1998 so it has been difficult to survive on the meagre amount paid as per the 15-year old norms.

The PIL demanded direction from the high court to the state government to pay the minimum wages to the part-time employees working in the state.