- (1.) It is said that the wearer only knows where the shoe pinches. This aspect has been highlighted by the counsel appearing for the contempt petitioners by urging that the recommendations of the Khalid Commission requiring the respondents to recruit 18,006 contract workers within the time-schedule specified by the Commission has been observed more in violation than in compliance. They, therefore, submitted that the respondents have wilfully violated the recommendations of the Commission which were accepted by this court. They contend with force that as the time extended by this court to implement in full the recommendations of the Commission has also expired, the respondents are guilty of contempt and they should, therefore, be dealt with suitably.
(2.) When this matter was heard at length on 20/4/1995, we had desired the learned counsel appearing for the respondents to receive instructions as to whether the respondents could recruit all the remaining workers by 31/3/1995. To know this, the case was taken up on 1/5/1995 when we were informed that the respondent-Electricity Board would, on or before 30/9/1995, absorb/employ 436 workmen; and on or before 31/3/1997 further absorb/employ 5500 workers of the contractors. As to the remaining 5506 workers, the statement made was that they would be absorbed/employed on or before 31 /3/1999.
(3.) The learned counsel appearing for the respective Unions were sore at the delay in recruiting/employing the workmen inasmuch as according to the time-schedule mentioned by Khalid Commission in its report the target time for Groups I to V workmen was 31/12/1991. They, therefore, implored that the Board does not deserve any accommodation as regards the time-schedule, because the workers have already suffered a lot and their agony has become intolerable and we may not, therefore, concede to the unreasonable demand of the Board.;