MANDI: The court of Senior Civil Judge Aslam Beg has directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to pay the award amount due to its employee, Virender Kumar, along with interest, within three days. The court warned the PWD that failure to clear the dues by October 17 will lead to the attachment of its Circuit House located on Tarna road in Mandi.
If the department fails to make the payment within the given time, the court bailiff will take possession of the Circuit House on October 27. The court has directed the Civil Nazir to provide the bailiff with all the necessary equipment and materials to carry out the attachment process.
To maintain law and order during the proceedings, the Mandi Superintendent of Police has been directed to deploy adequate police personnel at the site.
Keeping in mind the check-in and check-out timings of guests staying at the Circuit House, the court instructed the bailiff to start the attachment proceedings only after 12 noon on October 27. This direction aims to avoid disrupting regular operations or causing inconvenience to occupants.
The case stems from a dispute between Virender Kumar and the PWD. Kumar had challenged the department’s orders in the Labour Court, which ruled in his favour on September 7, 2022. The Labour Court awarded him Rs 3,29,222 in compensation, along with wages for 34 months and applicable interest. However, the department failed to implement the award for a considerable period.
To enforce the Labour Court’s decision, Kumar filed an execution petition through his counsel, BC Sharma, before the Senior Civil Judge’s court.
The department raised objections during the proceedings, but the court dismissed them on August 12. Observing prolonged non-compliance, the court noted that attaching departmental property remained the only way to recover the awarded amount.
However, the court accepted a special request from the Assistant Public Prosecutor representing the PWD, granting a final opportunity to clear the dues. The department was given three days to pay the outstanding amount with interest.
The court reiterated that if the payment is not made by October 17, the attachment of the Circuit House will proceed as scheduled on October 27.
