The Bombay High Court just decided in favor of several watchmen from Nashik, ensuring them permanent jobs. This decision came after a long fight over unfair treatment by the Forest Development Corporation.
The case is about several complaints, all involving the Forest Development Corporation in Nashik. The watchmen, who were hired between 1977 and 1992, claimed they were unfairly denied permanent jobs even though they worked for more than 240 days each year.
The employees argued that they worked continuously without breaks and deserved permanent jobs. They accused the Corporation of using unfair practices to keep them on temporary contracts, denying them the benefits of permanent employment.
"The watchmen were working with the Forest Development Corporation without any break in service," the court noted.
The Forest Development Corporation, managed by the Maharashtra Government, argued that they were not required to make these positions permanent. They claimed the work was temporary and tied to specific government projects.
The Industrial Court had already decided in favor of the employees, saying the Corporation was guilty of unfair practices. The High Court, led by Judges G. S. Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe, agreed with this decision on December 24, 2025.
"The work performed by the watchmen was permanent and ongoing in nature," the judgment stated.
This decision is important because it reinforces the rights of temporary workers to seek permanent jobs when they meet certain conditions, like working continuously for over 240 days a year.
The court ordered the Corporation to grant permanent status to these employees from April 1, 1998, and to pay them any benefits they missed out on. This decision sets a strong example for similar cases in the future.
