HC directs AAP Govt to pay wages to Maharishi Valmiki Hospital staff by February 8

Delhi: Coming down heavily on the Delhi government, the High Court has ordered the state government to ensure full payment of wages of various workers deployed at Maharishi Valmiki Hospital within two weeks.  

This came after nine Nursing orderlies at Delhi government-run Maharishi Valmiki Hospital informed the court that their wages have not been paid since April 12 last year. 

Depicting the circumstances as a "sorry state of affairs", the court observed," they have not been paid any wages since 12.04.2022 only on account of the files moving up and down between two departments of the Govt. of NCT of Delhi."

Justice Rekha Palli issued the direction in an interim order on petitions filed by nine workers. The counsel for the petitioners submitted that they have been compelled to approach this Court as the learned Labour Court didn't direct the respondent to ensure that the petitioners are paid their due wages. On the other hand, it has been adjourning the matter at their repeated requests.

Justice Palli has scheduled the case for further hearing on February 8. Giving an ultimatum, she stated that the Delhi Government’s secretary of finance “will remain present in court” if the workers’ wages were not paid by the next hearing date.

BJP National Spokesperson and State Prabhari of Delhi BJP SM, Mr. Shehzad, criticized the government and stated that this is "indeed a sorry state of affairs. This is a huge public disappointment as many of the promises have not been fulfilled by the government yet; for example, no new hospital has been introduced by the government of late."

Delhi government is facing criticism on social media platforms as another tweeter user commented, " This is outrageous! The workers at Maharshi Valmiki Hospital have not been paid in months and the Delhi HC has just given the AAP government a deadline of February 8 to pay up. This is a very sorry state of affairs and something needs to be done about it immediately." 

Click on the below link to view the Order: