#Forest Department

Allahabad High Court directs the Forest Department to pay daily wagers a minimum wage of Rs. 18,000 per month under the 7th Pay Commission, with arrears dating back to April 2018, relying on precedents in Sabha Shankar Dube and Mohan Swaroop. The ruling underscores the binding nature of judicial directives on minimum wage compliance for contractual workers in government service.

The Karnataka High Court ruled that undue delay by the Forest Department in processing a saw mill license renewal application amounts to a violation of constitutional duties and the principle of lawful governance. The court mandated a decision within three months, emphasizing that administrative inaction cannot justify indefinite delays in statutory applications.

Uttarakhand High Court rules that 23 years of uninterrupted daily wage service in a regular vacancy qualifies as 'continuous service' under Rule 2(a)(iii) of the U.P. Recruitment of Dependants Rules, 1974, entitling dependants to compassionate appointment. The judgment underscores that long-term daily wagers cannot be denied benefits merely due to lack of formal appointment, directing reconsideration for engagement even on contractual basis.