Regularise firemen working on contract for over 10 years: HC

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has ruled that the state as a constitutional employer cannot be permitted to exploit workers for years together on contractual basis while extracting services of a perennial nature. Declaring such practice a violation of Articles 14, 16 and 21 of the Constitution, the court directed Punjab to regularise within six weeks the services of firemen engaged over a decade ago.

The court further held that the firemen would be deemed regularised automatically on the expiry of the stipulated period in the event of non-compliance. The court also granted them the benefit of past service for seniority and other consequential entitlements.