REPORTABLE

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL No.2530 OF 2012

Birla Institute of Technology        ….Appellant(s)

VERSUS

The State of Jharkhand & Ors.       …Respondent(s)

J U D G M E N T

Abhay Manohar Sapre, J.

1. On 07.01.2019, this Court placing reliance on the

decision  of this  Court in  Ahmadabad  Pvt.  Primary

Teachers Association vs. Administrative Officer and

Others  (2004) 1 SCC 755, which was brought to the

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Court’s notice by the learned counsel appearing for the

appellant, allowed the appeal and set aside the order

of the High Court.

2. However, after the pronouncement of the order in

this appeal, it  came to the notice of  this Court that

consequent upon the decision of this Court rendered

in  Ahmadabad  Pvt.  Primary  Teachers  Association

(supra), the Parliament amended the definition of the

word “employee” as defined in Section 2(e) of the

Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 by Amending Act No. 47

of 2009 on 31.12.2009 with retrospective effect from

03.04.1997. This amendment was not brought to our

notice while passing the order on 07.01.2019 in this

appeal.

3. This Court, therefore,  suo motu  took up the

appeal to  its file  and directed  it to  be  listed on the

Board.  On  09.01.2019 the appeal  was accordingly

listed for orders. This Court then stayed its order

dated 07.01.2019 and passed the following order:

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“ On 07.01.2019 this Court delivered the judgment allowing the appeal and setting aside the order of the High Court impugned therein.  

Today,  we have  listed the matter  suo motu. The reason being that during the course  of  hearing  of the  appeal it  was  not brought to the notice of the Bench that the judgment  of this  Court in  Ahmedabad  Pvt. Primary Teachers Association vs. Administrative  Officer  & Ors. (2004)  1  SCC 755 on  which the reliance was placed for allowing the appeal necessitated the Parliament to amend the definition of “employee” under Section 2(e) of the Payment of  Gratuity Act by  Amending  Act No.47 of 2009 with retrospective effect from 03.04.1997.  

In  other  words, though the  definition was amended in 2009 by Act No.47 of 2009, yet the same was given retrospective effect from 03.04.1997 so as to bring the amended definition on Statute Book, from 03.04.1997.

 Keeping in view the amendment made

in the definition of Section  2(e), which as stated above was not brought to the notice of the Bench, this issue was not considered though had relevance for deciding the question involved in the appeal. It is for this reason, we prima facie find error in the judgment and, therefore, are inclined to stay the operation of our judgment dated 07.01.2019 passed in this appeal  

The judgment dated 07.01.2019 shall not be given effect to till the matter is reheard finally by the appropriate Bench.  

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The Registry is directed to list this matter for rehearing before the  appropriate Bench comprising of Hon’ble Mr.Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre and Hon’ble Ms.Justice Indu Malhotra as early as possible.”

4. It is in the light of the aforementioned order, the

matter  was  listed  before this  Bench  for  passing the

appropriate order in the disposed of appeal.

5. We heard the learned counsel for the parties.

Both the parties have also filed their written

submissions.

6. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties

and on perusal of the record of the case including the

written submissions, we are inclined to recall our

order dated 07.01.2019 because, in our view, it

contains an error apparent on the face of the order.  

7. The apparent error is that it was not brought to

our notice that the Parliament, consequent upon the

decision  of this  Court in  Ahmadabad  Pvt.  Primary

Teachers Association  (supra), had amended the

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definition of  “employee” as defined in Section 2(e)  of

the Payment of Gratuity Act by amending Act No. 47 of

2009 with retrospective effect  from 03.04.1997. This

amendment, in our opinion, had a direct bearing over

the issue involved in this appeal.  

8. What  was  brought to our  notice  was only the

decision of this  Court rendered  in  Ahmadabad Pvt.

Primary Teachers Association (supra) by contending

that the issue involved in this appeal remains no

longer  res integra and stands answered in appellant’s

favour.  We accepted this submission.  

9. In our view, the error mentioned above is an error

apparent on the face of the record of the case because

the material, subsequent event, which came into

existence,  had  a  direct  bearing  over the  controversy

involved in this appeal, was not brought to our notice

at the time of hearing the appeal.   It is this apparent

error, which led to passing of the order dated

07.01.2019 in favour of the appellant.

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10. In view of the aforesaid discussion, we recall our

order  dated 07.01.2019 passed  in  this  appeal.  As a

consequence, the appeal (Civil Appeal No. 2530 of

2012) is restored to its original number for its disposal

on merits in accordance with law.

11. We now proceed to decide the appeal afresh on its

merits.

12. This appeal is directed against the final judgment

and order dated 02.04.2008 passed by the High Court

of Jharkhand at Ranchi in LPA No.53 of 2007 whereby

the Division Bench of the High Court dismissed the

LPA filed by the appellant herein and confirmed the

order dated 12.01.2007 passed by the Single Judge of

the High Court in W.P. No.2572 of 2005.  

13. The controversy involved in this appeal is a short

one as would be clear from the facts stated infra.

14. The appellant is a premier technical educational

institute of repute in the country.  It is known as “Birla

Institute of Technology” (BIT).

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15. Respondent No.4 joined the appellant­Institute as

Assistant Professor on 16.09.1971 and superannuated

on 30.11.2001 after attaining the age of

superannuation.

16. Respondent No.4 then made a representation to

the appellant and prayed therein for payment of

gratuity amount which, according to respondent, was

payable to him by the appellant under the Payment of

Gratuity Act, 1972.   The appellant, however, declined

to pay the amount of gratuity as demanded by

respondent No.4.   

17. Respondent No.4,  therefore, filed an application

before the controlling authority under the Act against

the appellant and claimed the amount of gratuity

which, according to him, was payable to him under the

Act.  

18. By order dated 07.09.2002, the controlling

authority (respondent No.3) allowed the application

filed by respondent No.4 and directed the appellant to

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pay a sum of Rs.3,38,796/­ along with interest at the

rate  of  10% p.a. towards  the gratuity  to respondent

No.4.

19. The appellant felt aggrieved and filed appeal

before the appellate authority under the Act. By order

dated  15.04.2005, the  appellate  authority  dismissed

the appeal. The appellant felt aggrieved and carried the

matter to the High Court in a writ petition. The High

Court (Single Judge) by order dated 12.01.2007

dismissed the writ petition and upheld the orders of

the  authorities  passed under  the  Act.  The appellant

then filed Letters Patent  Appeal before the  Division

Bench against the order passed by the Single Judge.

The LPA was also dismissed by the  impugned order

which has given rise to filing of the present appeal by

way of special leave by  the appellant­Institute in this

Court.

20. The short question, which arises for

consideration in this appeal, is  whether the  Courts

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below were  justified in holding that respondent No.4

was entitled to claim gratuity amount from the

appellant (employer) under the Act.  

21. Heard Mr. Shambo Nandy, learned counsel for

the appellant and Mr. Anil Kumar Jha, learned

counsel for respondent  Nos.1­3  and  Mr. Sunil  Roy,

learned counsel for respondent No.4.  

22. Having heard the learned counsel for the parties

and on perusal of the record of the case, we find no

merit in this appeal.

23. As mentioned above, the  issue in question was

subject matter of the decision rendered in the case of

Ahmadabad Pvt. Primary Teachers Association

(supra).  This Court had examined the question in the

light of the definition of the word “employee” defined in

Section 2(e) of the Act as it stood then.  The definition

reads as under:

 “2.  (e) ‘employee’ means any person (other than an apprentice)  employed on wages, in any establishment, factory, mine, oilfield,

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plantation, port, railway company or shop, to do any skilled, semi­skilled, or unskilled, manual, supervisory, technical or clerical work, whether the terms of such employment are express or implied,  and whether or not such person is employed in a managerial or administrative capacity, but does not include any such person who holds a post under the Central Government or a State Government  and is governed  by  any  other Act or by any rules providing for payment of gratuity.”

24. This is what was held in paras 22 to 26 of the

decision:

“22. In construing the abovementioned three words which are used in association with each other, the rule of construction noscitur a sociis may be applied. The meaning of each of these  words is to be  understood  by the company it keeps. It is a  legitimate rule of construction to construe words in an Act of Parliament with reference to words found in immediate connection with them. The actual order  of these  three  words in juxtaposition indicates  that  meaning of  one takes colour from the other. The rule is explained differently: “that meaning of doubtful words may be ascertained by reference to the meaning of  words associated  with it”. [See Principles of Statutory Interpretation by Justice  G.P.  Singh,  8th  Edn.,  Syn.  8,  at  p. 379.]

23. The word “unskilled” is opposite of the word “skilled” and the  word “semi­skilled”

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seems to describe a person who falls between the two categories i.e. he is not fully skilled and also is not completely unskilled but has some amount of skill for the work for which he is employed. The word “unskilled” cannot, therefore, be understood dissociated from the word “skilled” and “semi­skilled” to read and construe it to include in it all categories of employees irrespective of the nature of employment. If the legislature intended to cover all categories of employees for extending benefit of gratuity under the Act, specific mention of categories of employment in the definition clause was not necessary at all. Any construction of definition clause which renders it superfluous or otiose has to be avoided.

24.  The  contention  advanced that teachers should be treated as included in the expression “unskilled” or “skilled” cannot, therefore, be  accepted.  The teachers  might have been imparted training for teaching or there may be cases where teachers who are employed in primary schools are untrained. A trained teacher is not described in the industrial field or service jurisprudence as a “skilled employee”. Such adjective generally is used for an employee doing  manual or technical  work.  Similarly, the  words  “semi­ skilled” and “unskilled” are not  understood in  educational establishments  as  describing nature  of job  of  untrained teachers.  We do not attach much importance to the arguments advanced  on the  question as to whether “skilled”, “semi­skilled” and “unskilled” qualify the words “manual”, “supervisory”, “technical” or “clerical” or the above words qualify the word “work”. Even if all the words are read disjunctively or in any

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other manner, trained or untrained teachers do not plainly answer any of the descriptions of the nature of various employments given in the definition clause. Trained or untrained teachers are not “skilled”, “semi­skilled”, “unskilled”, “manual”, “supervisory”, “technical” or “clerical” employees. They are also not employed in “managerial” or “administrative” capacity. Occasionally, even if they do some administrative work as part of their duty with teaching, since their main job is imparting  education, they  cannot  be held employed in “managerial” or “administrative”  capacity.  The teachers  are clearly not intended to be covered by the definition of “employee”.

25. The legislature was alive to various kinds of definitions of the word “employee” contained in various previous labour enactments when the Act was passed in 1972. If it intended to cover in the definition of “employee” all kinds of employees, it could have as well  used such wide  language as  is contained  in Section 2(f)  of  the Employees’ Provident Funds Act, 1952 which defines “employee” to mean “any person who is employed for wages in any kind of work, manual or otherwise, in or in connection with the work of an establishment …”. Non­use of such wide language in the definition of “employee” in Section 2(e) of the Act of 1972 reinforces  our  conclusion that teachers  are clearly not covered in the definition.

26. Our conclusion should not be misunderstood that teachers although engaged in a very noble profession of educating  our  young  generation should  not

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be given any gratuity benefit. There are already in several States separate statutes, rules and regulations granting gratuity benefits to teachers in educational institutions which are more or less beneficial than the gratuity benefits provided under the Act. It is for the legislature to take cognizance of  situation of  such teachers  in various establishments where gratuity benefits are not available and think of a separate legislation for them in this regard. That is the subject­matter solely of the legislature to consider and decide.”

25. The decision rendered in  Ahmadabad Pvt.

Primary Teachers Association (supra), therefore, led

the Parliament to amend the definition of "employee”

as defined in Section 2 (e) of the Payment of Gratuity

Act by amending Act No. 47 of  2009 on 31.12.2009

with retrospective effect from 03.04.1997.  

26. It is clear from the statement of Objects and

Reasons of the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill,

2009 introduced in the Lok Sabha on 24.02.2009,

which reads as under:

   “STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

The Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 provides for payment of gratuity to

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employees engaged in factories, mines, oilfields, plantations, ports, railway companies, shops or other establishment and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. Clause (c) of subsection (3) of section 1 of the said Act empowers the Central Government to  apply the  provisions  of the said Act by notification in the Official Gazette to such other establishments or class of establishments in which ten or more employees are employed, or were employed, on any day preceding twelve months. Accordingly, the Central Government had extended the provisions of the said Act to the educational institutions employing ten or more persons by notification of the Government of India in the Ministry of Labour and Employment vide number S.O. 1080, dated the 3rd April, 1997.  

2. The Hon'ble Supreme Court in its judgment in Civil Appeal No. 6369 of 2001, dated the 13th January, 2004, in Ahmedabad Private Primary Teachers' Association vs. Administrative Officer and others [AIR 2004 Supreme Court 1426] had held that if it was extended to cover in the definition of 'employee', all kind of employees, it could have as well  used such wide  language as  is contained in clause (f) of section  2  of the Employees' Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 which defines 'employee' to mean any person who is employed for wages in any kind of work, manual or otherwise, in or in connection with the  work  of an establishment. It  had  been held that non­use of  such wide language in the definition of 'employee' under clause (e) of section 2 of the Payment of Gratuity Act,

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1972 reinforces the conclusion that teachers are clearly not covered in the said definition.   3.  Keeping in  view the  observations  of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, it is proposed to widen the definition of 'employee' under the said  Act in order to extend the benefit of gratuity to the teachers. Accordingly, the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2007 was introduced in Lok Sabha on the 26th November, 2007 and same was referred to the Standing Committee on Labour which made certain recommendations. After examining those recommendations, it was decided to give effect to the amendment retrospectively with effect from the 3rd April, 1997, the date on which the provisions of the said Act were made applicable to educational institutions.  

4. Accordingly, the Payment of Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2007 was withdrawn and a new Bill,  namely, this  Payment  of  Gratuity (Amendment) Bill, 2009 having retrospective effect  was introduced  in the  Lok Sabha  on 24th February, 2009. However, due to dissolution of the Fourteenth Lok Sabha, the said Bill lapsed. In view of the above, it is considered necessary to bring the present Bill.  

5. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.  

NEW DELHI;  The 12th November, 2009”

                    MALLIKARJUN KHARGE.”

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27. The definition of “employee” as defined under

Section 2(e) was accordingly amended with effect from

03.04.1997 retrospectively vide Payment of the

Gratuity (Amendment) Act, 2009 (No. 47 of 2009)

published on 31.12.2009.   The amended definition

reads as under:

“(e) “employee” means any person (other than an apprentice) who is employed for wages, whether the terms of such employment are  express  or implied, in  any kind of work, manual or otherwise, in or in connection with the work of a factory, mine, oilfield, plantation, port, railway company, shop or other establishment to  which this Act  applies,  but  does  not include any such person who holds a post  under the Central Government  or a  State  Government and is governed by any other  Act  or  by any rules providing for payment of gratuity.”  

28. In the light of the amendment made in the

definition of the word “employee” as defined in Section

2(e) of the Act by Amending Act No. 47 of 2009 with

retrospective effect from 03.04.1997, the benefit of the

Payment of Gratuity Act was also extended to the

teachers from 03.04.1997.

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29. In other words, the teachers were brought within

the purview of “employee” as defined in Section 2(e) of

the Payment of Gratuity Act by Amending Act No. 47 of

2009 with retrospective effect from 03.04.1997.

30. The effect of the amendment made in the

Payment of Gratuity Act vide Amending Act No. 47 of

2009 on 31.12.2009 was two­fold. First, the law laid

down by this Court in the case of   Ahmadabad Pvt.

Primary Teachers Association (supra) was no longer

applicable against the teachers, as if not rendered, and

Second, the teachers were held entitled to claim the

amount of gratuity under the Payment of Gratuity Act

from their employer with effect from 03.04.1997.  

31. In our considered opinion, in the light of the

amendment made in the Payment of Gratuity Act as

detailed above, reliance placed by the learned counsel

appearing for the appellant (employer) on the decision

of  Ahmedabad Pvt. Primary Teachers

Association(supra) is wholly misplaced and does not

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help the appellant in any  manner.   It has lost its

binding effect.    

32. Learned counsel for the appellant then urged that

the constitutional validity of Amending Act No. 47 of

2009 is under challenge in this Court in a writ

petition, which is pending.  

33. Be that as it may, in our view, pendency of any

writ petition by itself does not affect the

constitutionality of the Amending Act, and nor does it

affect the right of respondent  No.4 (teacher) in  any

manner in claiming gratuity amount from the

appellant(employer) under the Act.  

34. It is only when the Court declares a Statute as

being  ultra vires  the provisions of the Constitution

then the question may arise to consider its effect on

the rights of the parties and that would always depend

upon the declaration rendered by the Court and the

directions given in that case. Such is not the case here

as of now.

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35. In the light of the foregoing discussion, we find no

merit in this appeal, which fails and is hereby

dismissed with costs quantified at Rs.25,000/­

payable by the appellant to respondent No.4(teacher).  

                    ………...................................J.         [ABHAY MANOHAR SAPRE]

   …...……..................................J.                           [INDU MALHOTRA]

New Delhi; March 07, 2019  

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