Surendra Manjhi vs. Union Of India

COURT NO.2

SECTION PIL-W

SUPREME COURT OF INDIA RECORD OF PROCEEDINGS

<pre>Writ Petition(s)(Civil) No(s). 511/2022</pre>

SURENDRA MANJHI & ANR.

Petitioner(s)

Respondent $(s)$

VERSUS

UNION OF INDIA & ORS.

Date: 21-11-2024 This petition was called on for hearing today.

CORAM:

ITEM NO.19

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE B.R. GAVAI HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE K.V. VISWANATHAN

For Petitioner(s)

Mr. Abishek Jebaraj, Adv. Ms. Srishti Agnihotri, AOR

Ms. A. Reyna Shruti, Adv.

Mr. D.P.Singh, Adv.

Ms. Tara Elizabeth Kurien, Adv.

For Respondent(s)

Mr. Vikramjit Banerjee, A.S.G. Mr. Sudarshan Lamba, AOR Ms. Nidhi Khanna, Adv. Mr. Durga Dutt, Adv. Ms. Bani Dikshit, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Sinha, Adv. Mr. Saurabh Pandey, Adv. Mr. Nitin Lonkar, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Dharmadhikari, Adv. Mr. Aaditya Aniruddha Pande, AOR Mr. Vikramjeet Banerjee, A.S.G. Mr. Mukesh Kumar Maroria, AOR Ms. Nidhi Khanna, Adv. Mr. Durga Dutt, Adv. Ms. Bani Dikshit, Adv. Mr. Siddharth Sinha, Adv. Mr. Saurabh Pandey, Adv.

Mr. Anand Shankar, AOR

Mr. Manish Kumar, AOR Mr. Chandan Kumar, Adv. Dr. Vijendra Singh, AOR Mr. Hemant Sharma, Adv. Ms. Apurva Mahndian, Adv. Ms. Vanshaja Shukla, AOR Ms. Ankeeta Appanna, Adv. Mr. Siddhant Yadav, Adv. Mr. H. S Phoolka, Sr. Adv. Mr. Jagjit Singh Chhabra, AOR Mr. Bhuwan Ribhu, Adv. Mr. Saksham Maheshwari, Adv. Ms. Shashi, Adv. Ms. Surabhi Katyal, Adv. Ms. Surpreet Kaur, Adv.

UPON hearing the counsel the Court made the following O R D E R

1. Mr. Abishek Jebaraj, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the various difficulties have arisen regarding immediate financial assistance to the bonded labourers, including children who have been released. He submits that the challenges occur in some cases when children are taken from one State to an adjoining State and are put to work as bonded labourers.

2. We find that insofar as the State of Uttar Pradesh is concerned, the figures are alarming. Out of 5264 bonded labourers released, 1101 have received immediate financial assistance and 4167 have yet not received immediate financial assistance.

3. We find that the issue of inter-state trafficking of

bonded labourers, including children, needs to be addressed by the Union of India as well as all the States/Union Territories so that unified approach can be adopted.

4. The Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment should convene a meeting with their counterparts from all the States/UTs to come out with a proposal which addresses the issue regarding inter-state trafficking and grant of release certificate.

5. We further direct that the proposal should also include a simplified procedure that will effectively implement the scheme providing immediate financial assistance to rescued bonded labourers, including children.

6. We further direct that the Union of India shall also take the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on board while finalizing the procedure.

7. List this matter on 09.01.2025.

8. Taking into consideration the importance of the matter, we feel that it will be appropriate to have the assistance of learned Attorney General for India. Therefore, we request learned Attorney General for India to assist this Court in the instant matter.

(DEEPAK SINGH) (ANJU KAPOOR) ASTT. REGISTRAR-cum-PS COURT MASTER (NSH)

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