The Bombay High Court has decided in favor of several watchmen, ordering that they be given permanent jobs with the Forest Development Corporation in Nashik. This decision comes after years of fighting over unfair labor practices.
On December 24, 2025, Judges G. S. Kulkarni and Aarti Sathe made a decision on several appeals by the Forest Development Corporation, Nashik. The appeals were against a previous decision from June 13, 2001, which supported the Industrial Court's decision in favor of the workers.
The case involved 99 complaints filed by workers under a law meant to recognize trade unions and stop unfair labor practices. The workers, hired between 1977 and 1992, said they were unfairly denied permanent jobs even though they had worked more than 240 days a year for many years.
"The workers were working with the company without any break in service since they started," the court noted.
The Forest Development Corporation argued that the workers were hired temporarily under government programs and that there were no permanent jobs available. They claimed that making these jobs permanent would allow people to get jobs without going through the proper process.
The Industrial Court found the Corporation guilty of unfair labor practices and told them to give the workers permanent jobs starting April 1, 1998. The Court pointed out that the work was ongoing and important, which went against what the Corporation said.
The High Court agreed with the Industrial Court's decision, saying that the Corporation's arguments didn't make sense. The judges pointed out that the work done by the workers was permanent and that the Corporation was indeed a business under the Industrial Disputes Act.
"The company's argument that there were no official positions doesn't matter," the judgment stated.
This ruling requires the Corporation to make the workers' jobs permanent and give them the benefits they deserve within eight weeks. Even though the Corporation asked to keep things as they were for now, the Court said no, focusing on the workers' long-term suffering.
This decision sets an example for similar cases, strengthening workers' rights to fair job practices.
Disclaimer: The names used in this report are made up and have been added for privacy reasons.
