Delhi High Court: In a PIL filed by a group of young practicing advocates seeking institutional reforms in the form of increased transparency and digital accessibility of labour law forums in Delhi, a division bench of Devendra Kumar Upadhyay, CJ., and Tushar Rao Gedela, JJ., directed that the petitioners may submit exhaustive representations to the appropriate authorities in both the Central and State Governments within two weeks, highlighting their concerns and listing all relevant labour law forums.
The Court also directed governments to formulate a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for labour law forums to implement facilities for online processes and proceedings, thereby ensuring enhanced transparency, efficiency, and access to justice.
The petitioners, concerned with the lack of digital transparency in the functioning of forums established under various labour laws, instituted this PIL to highlight systemic shortcomings. Specifically, the grievance was that several judicial and quasi-judicial bodies functioning under Central and State labour legislations were failing to regularly update and upload essential details on their official websites or on the websites of the relevant government departments. The missing or inconsistently uploaded information included:
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Daily cause lists,
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Orders passed by these forums,
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Video conferencing links for online hearings,
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Names and leave status of presiding officers.
The petitioners argued that such omissions hindered both workmen and employers from accessing justice efficiently and effectively. Although they had already made representations to the concerned authorities, no effective action had been taken, compelling them to seek judicial intervention.
The Court acknowledged the significance of the issues raised and lauded the efforts of the petitioners. The Court observed that numerous forums and officers under various labour legislations perform important functions that directly impact the rights of both employers and employees. These forums include conciliation officers, labour enforcement officers, tribunals, and judicial or quasi-judicial authorities.
Recognizing the fundamental role of technology in ensuring access to justice, the Court observed that digitizing processes such as publishing cause lists, orders, and hearing schedules would enhance transparency and reduce the hardships faced by litigants. The Court particularly emphasized that ensuring such digital availability would not only bolster the functioning of labour forums but also advance the larger goal of justice in a welfare state.
The Court, while disposing of the writ petition, issued the following directions:
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The petitioners were permitted to submit exhaustive representations to the appropriate authorities in both the Central Government and the State Government (Delhi), laying out their concerns and listing all the forums functioning under different labour enactments.
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These representations must be submitted within a fortnight of the date of the order.
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Upon receipt, the departments concerned must act on the representations, and the Secretary or In-charge of each department was made responsible for ensuring a reasoned and timely decision.
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Importantly, the Court directed that the respective governments must consider formulating a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for all labour law forums. This SOP should outline steps to be taken to ensure online access to proceedings, publication of orders, cause lists, and other relevant information.
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The Court expected the decisions on the representations to be made within three months of the date of their submission.
[Arjun Mohan v. UOI, W.P.(C) 7543/2025, decided on 28-05-2025]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
Mr. Arjun Mohan and Ms. Deeksha Prakash, Mr. Saimon Farooqui, petitioners in person
Mr. Mukul Singh, CGSC with Ms. Ira Singh, Mr. Aryan Dhaka, Advs. for R-1 Ms. Harshita Nathrani, Adv. for Mr. Sameer Vashisht, SC, (Civil) GNCTD for R- 2
