A view of the Bombay High courtroom. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
“Working journalists do not fall in the definition of employees under the Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act as they enjoy a special status,” the Bombay High Court has stated.
Consequently, a criticism filed by a working journalist under these Acts earlier than an industrial courtroom would not be maintainable, a division Bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Sandeep Marne stated in its order of February 29.
“They enjoy a special status under provisions of the Working Journalists Act and have a recourse to settle their disputes under the Industrial Disputes Act,” the High Court stated.
The judgement got here on petitions filed by two working journalists difficult orders of the economic courtroom in 2019 rejecting their complaints on the bottom that working journalists did not fall inside the time period of worker or workman under the Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act.
The Bench famous that the Working Journalists Act, 1955 has already established a mechanism for dispute decision under the Industrial Disputes Act.
While dismissing the petitions, the High Court famous working journalists represent a unique class with distinctive privileges and protections of their employment under the Working Journalists Act.
“If there is no difference between the working journalist and workmen then it cannot be that the working journalist retains special privileges while they are denied to other workmen including non-working journalists,” the High Court stated.
“The scheme of the Working Journalists Act would demonstrate a special status conferred on the working journalists. The Working Journalists Act was enacted to confer a special status on the working journalists and the disputes must be settled according to the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act,” the HC stated.
