PSU to pay for frivolous PIL

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a Dhanbad-based PSU, M/s Bharat Coking Coal Limited to pay R 1 lakh for filing a frivolous PIL.

The Supreme Court on Friday ordered a Dhanbad-based PSU, M/s Bharat Coking Coal Limited to pay Rs 1 lakh for filing a frivolous PIL.

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The PSU had appealed against the Jharkhand HC verdict directing the firm to pay backwages to an employee who was retired without referring to his actual date of birth mentioned in the certificates. The backwages amounted to Rs 1.5 lakh.

The SC came down heavily on the PSU and dismissed the appeal with Rs one lakh cost for dragging a "poor man" to court.

The court called the appeal "frivolous litigation" and at one time, threatened to recover the cost from the firm's MD. It ordered the petitioner to pay the cost to the employee within a month.