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NON-REPORTABLE IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NO. 11343 OF 2017

[ @ SPECIAL LEAVE PETITION (C) NO. 35215 OF 2016 ] THE GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS CHENNAI  CONTAINER TERMINAL PVT LTD & ANR.   Appellant(s)

                               VERSUS K. THIRUTHANIKUMARAN & ANR.                   Respondent(s)

J U D G M E N T

KURIAN, J. 1. Leave granted.

2. The  appellants  are  before  this  Court, aggrieved by the order dated 03.11.2016, passed by the High Court of Judicature at Madras in Writ Appeal No. 623 of 2016.  The issue pertains to the disputes between the respondent-workman and the appellant-Management.

3. Though this case has a chequered history, in the nature of the order we propose to pass, it is not  necessary  to  refer  to  all  those  aspects, particularly  having  been  benefitted  by  the mediated  assistance  rendered  by  Mr.  Sanjay Parikh, learned counsel, who graciously accepted

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the request made by the Court.

4. The  relationship  between  the respondent-workman  and  the  appellant-Management has not been smooth and it has been strained to the extent that the Management finally terminated the respondent-workman from service.  There are several disputes with regard to his termination and one case, being OS No. 242 of 2016 is now pending before the City Civil Court at Chennai and the proceedings under the Industrial Disputes Act  are  also  said  to  be  pending  before  the Conciliation Officer.

5. Having  regard  to  the  fact  that  the respondent-workman is only around 45 years and he is able to work elsewhere and having regard to the  background  of  the  strained  relationship between the parties, we are of the view that it is in the interests of both the parties to give a quietus to the disputes.  We are informed that towards  the  gratuity  and  provident  fund,  the respondent-workman is entitled to get an amount of  Rs.  9.10  Lakhs.   Now,  when  the employer-employee  relationship  is  coming  to  an

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end once and for all, we are of the view that the respondent-workman  should  also  be  appropriately compensated.

6. Having heard the learned counsel appearing on both sides and having heard Mr.Thiruthanikumaran, the respondent-workman, who is present before us, we  are  of  the  view  that  in  full  and  final settlement  of  the  entire  claims  of  the respondent-workman,  the  appellant  -  Management should  pay  an  amount  of  Rs.25,00,000/-  (Rupees Twenty Five Lakhs).  This payment is inclusive of the  gratuity  and  provident  fund  or  any  other claim of the respondent.  In other words, the respondent-workman shall not be entitled to raise any  further  claim  on  any  counts  from  the appellant-Management.

7. In view of the order passed above, it is not necessary  to  continue  the  civil  suit,  being O.S.No.  242  of  2016,  pending  before  the  City Civil  Court,  Chennai,  which  is,  accordingly, struck off from its files.  The Registry shall communicate a copy of this Judgment to the City Civil Court, Chennai forthwith.

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8. The pending proceedings between the parties under the Industrial Disputes Act or any other forum  shall  also  stand  terminated.   We  direct both  the  parties  not  to  indulge  in  any  other litigation, either civil or criminal, in respect of the employer-employee relationship without the leave of this court.

9. Towards  the  litigation  expenses,  the respondent-workman  shall  also  be  entitled  to  a further  amount  of  Rs.  50,000/-  (Rupees  Fifty Thousand).   Hence,  the  total  amount  of Rs.25,50,000/-  (Rupees  Twenty  Five  Lakhs  and Fifty  Thousand)  will  be  credited  to  the  bank account of the respondent-workman within 10 days from today.    10. With the above observations and directions, this appeal is disposed of.   

.......................J.               [ KURIAN JOSEPH ]  

.......................J.               [ R. BANUMATHI ]  

New Delhi; September 07, 2017.

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ITEM NO.14               COURT NO.5               SECTION XII                S U P R E M E  C O U R T  O F  I N D I A                        RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C)  No(s).  35215/2016 (Arising out of impugned final judgment and order dated  03-11-2016 in  WA  No.  623/2016  passed  by  the  High  Court  Of  Judicature  At Madras) THE GENERAL MANAGER - OPERATIONS CHENNAI  CONTAINER TERMINAL PVT LTD & ANR.   Petitioner(s)                                 VERSUS K. THIRUTHANIKUMARAN & ANR.                       Respondent(s) Date : 07-09-2017 This petition was called on for hearing today. CORAM :  HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE KURIAN JOSEPH          HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE R. BANUMATHI For Petitioner(s) Mr. K. V. Vishwanathan, Sr. Adv.  

Mr. R. Anand Padmanabhan, Adv.  Mr. Romil Pathak, Adv.  Ms. Ananya Mukherjee, Adv.   

                   Mr. Shashi Bhushan Kumar, AOR                     For Respondent(s) Dr. Sumant Bharadwaj, Adv.  

Mr. Ajit Kumar Gupta, Adv.  Mr. Manoj Kumar, Adv.  Ms. Mridula Ray Bharadwaj, AOR

                    UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following

                            O R D E R Leave granted.  The  appeal  is  disposed  of  in  terms  of  the  signed

non-reportable Judgment. Pending interlocutory applications, if any, stand disposed of.

(JAYANT KUMAR ARORA)                            (RENU DIWAN)   COURT MASTER                              ASSISTANT REGISTRAR

(Signed non-reportable Judgment is placed on the file)