MURUGAN TALKIES Vs. UNION OF INDIA UOI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IN this batch of writ petitions, the validity of Sections 24 and 25 of the Civil Workers and Cinema Theatre Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 50 of 1981, hereinafter called the Act, is challenged. Besides that, a challenge is also made of the validity of the notification of the Government of India bearing No. S. 35016/1/86-SS/ii, Ministry of Labour, dated April 30, 1986.

(2.) SECTIONS24 and 25 of the Act are in the following terms:

(3.) THE Act was passed in order to provide for the regulation of the conditions of employment of certain cine-workers and cinema theatre workers and for matters connected therewith. While the expression , "cine-worker" has been defined in Section 2 (c) of the Act, there is no definition of the expression 'cinema theatre worker' nor is there any definition of the word 'worker'. But Sections 24 and 25 of the Act use the expression 'worker' or 'workers'. The notification, which is referred to above, is making the provisions of Employees' Provident Funds Scheme, 1952, applicable retrospectively from October 1, 1984 to cinema theatres employing 5 or more workers as specified in Section 24 of the Act.