Rana Pratap Singh v. Govt. Of NCT Of Delhi & ANR.

$~56 *

IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

% Date of Decision: 15.05.2026 + RANA PRATAP SINGH .....Appellant Through:

Mr.

Jai Wadhwa & Mr.

Ronak Karanpuria, Advocates.

versus GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI & ANR.

.....Respondents Through:

Mr.

Sameer VashishtStanding Counsel along with Mr. Raghvendra UpadhyayPanel Counsel, Ms.

Purnima Jain & Ms. Shivpa Taneja, Advocates for Respondent Nos.1 & 2.

CORAM:

HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA DEVENDRA KUMAR UPADHYAYA, CJ (ORAL) CM APPL. 32911/2026 (Exemption) 1.

Exemption is allowed, subject to all just exceptions. 2.

The Application stands disposed of.

3.

Heard the learned Counsel for the Parties.

4.

This intra-Court Appeal seeks an exception to an order dated 17.04.2026 ("Impugned Order") passed by the learned Single Judge whereby W.P.(C) 2656/2025 has been disposed of permitting the Appellant to file a written representation along with a copy of the Writ Petition and all other necessary documents before the Registrar General of this Court. 5.

It was further stipulated that if any such representation is made by the Appellant, the same shall be placed before the concerned committee for consideration.

6.

The prayer made in the Writ Petition was for implementing the revised wages for prison labour in terms of order dated 20.04.2023 by the Office of the Commissioner (Labour) with effect from 01.04.2023 along with payment of consequential arrears. The order dated 20.04.2023 passed by the Commissioner (Labour) has revised the rates of minimum wages to be paid to unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled categories of workmen in all Scheduled Employment.

7.

The order dated 20.04.2023, thus, owes its origin to the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 and has to be applied and followed for the purpose of payment of wages to all categories of workmen employed in the Schedule Employment and, therefore, any such wages being offered to a convict lodged in Tihar Jail employed in any Scheduled Employment cannot be an exception.

8.

In our opinion, direction for representation to be decided by the committee of this Court does not appear to be relevant for the purposes of adjudicating the prayer made by the Appellant while instituting the Writ Petition.

9.

We may also refer to an order dated 04.12.2023 passed in W.P.(C) 8299/2023 which has been disposed of with a direction to the Respondents therein to pay the revised minimum wages to the Petitioners of the said Writ Petition with effect from the date when the minimum wages have been increased and implemented in the GNCTD and not from 14.11.2023. Paragraph No. 7 of the said order dated 04.12.2023 is extracted herein below:

"7. Resultantly, the writ petition is allowed with a direction to the Respondents to pay the revised minimum wages to the Petitioner with effect from the date when the minimum wages have been increased and implemented in the GNCTD and not from 14.11.2023 as mentioned in the status report."

10.

In view of the aforesaid, we do not see any reason as to why the minimum wages being demanded by the Appellant in terms of the order of Commissioner (Labour), dated 20.04.2023 cannot be provided to him. 11.

Accordingly, the Appeal is allowed and the Impugned Order passed by the learned Single Judge dated 17.04.2026 is hereby set aside. A direction is issued to the Respondents to implement the order dated 20.04.2023 issued by the office of the Commissioner (Labour), GNCTD with effect from the date the minimum wages have been increased and implemented in GNCTD i.e. with effect from 01.04.2023.

12.

There shall be no order as to costs.

13.

We direct that the payment of minimum wages in terms of order dated 20.04.2023 passed by the Commissioner (Labour) shall commence within a period of two weeks from today and arrears of the same shall also be paid not only to the Appellant but also to all other prisoners employed in Scheduled

Employment, within a period six weeks. This Order shall be communicated forthwith by Mr. Sameer Vashisht, learned Standing Counsel representing GNCTD through all concerned.

DEVENDRA KUMAR UPADHYAYA, CJ TEJAS KARIA, J MAY 15, 2026 / 'A'