The Delhi High Court on Tuesday told the government in the national capital to respond to a petition alleging that several job vacancies advertised on its official portal were offering salaries below the minimum wage, Bar and Bench reported.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Imram Ahmad, a law student from the Jamia Milia Islamia University.
Ahmad claimed that some job vacancies advertised on the Delhi government’s online portal were in violation of a government order from October 14, 2022 that fixed minimum wages per month, Live Law reported. He said that the vacancies which offered salaries below the minimum wage were for the posts of office boy, cook, waiter, computer operator, delivery boy, kitchen helper, ambulance driver, peon and security guard.
Ahmad contended that this was a violation of workers’ rights under Article 14 (equality before law) and Article 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) of the Constitution. He said that he had written to the Delhi government on the matter, but it did not give and response or take any action.
The petition sought directions to the Delhi government not to advertise job vacancies with salaries below the minimum wage. It also called for directions to the government to monitor payments with modern technology and ensure that all employees get the minimum wage.
The court will hear the matter next on May 23.
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