Rajasthan High Court directs workman to plant trees as condition for adducing new evidence [Read Order]

Rajasthan: The Rajasthan High Court has issued a notable order requiring a workman to plant trees as a condition for granting him another opportunity to present evidence in his labour dispute case, emphasizing environmental benefits alongside judicial remedies.

Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand delivered the order while addressing a civil writ petition challenging an earlier decision of the Labour Court.

The case involved a writ petition filed by Sitaram, who challenged an award dated 29.01.2008 passed by the Labour Court, Bharatpur, in LCR Case No. 442/1999. The court noted, “A challenge has been made to the award dated 29.01.2008 passed by the Labour Court, Bharatpur while deciding LCR Case No. 442/1999, by which the statement of claim submitted by the petitioner-workman was rejected on the ground that no evidence was led by him.”

Examining the details of the case, the court observed, “The petitioner was engaged as a Baildar in the office of the respondents in the year 1986, and he continued to work in the said post till December 1989. However, his services were terminated by the respondents without following the process laid down under Sections 25-F and 25-G of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.”

Highlighting the petitioner’s failure to present evidence, the court stated, “The petitioner failed to adduce and produce evidence in support of his claim, and on this count alone, his claim petition was rejected vide award dated 29.01.2008.”

In a distinctive directive, the court instructed, “This Court deems it just and proper to grant one last opportunity to the petitioner to adduce evidence before the Labour Court, subject to the condition that he plants 21 shade trees in his vicinity in a public area within a period of one month from the date of receipt of a certified copy of this order and produces photographs of the same before the Labour Court.”

Emphasizing the environmental significance of this condition, the court noted, “Trees, for as long as they thrive—whether for decades or centuries—will continuously and silently offer numerous benefits to the city and the surrounding community. Future generations will benefit from a cleaner, oxygen-rich environment.”

The petitioner is required to submit quarterly photographs of the planted saplings in June, September, December, and March, with each photograph taken alongside the newspaper of that day to verify compliance.

The court has set aside the Labour Court’s earlier award and directed the parties to appear before the Labour Court on 06.05.2025 for fresh proceedings.

Since the petitioner was unrepresented during the hearing, the court has directed that a copy of the order be sent to his residential address for information.

Case Title: Sitaram vs. Executive Engineer, Irrigation Division, Dholpur & Ors.

 [Read Order]