The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to list for hearing on November 17 a set of interim applications filed by employees of Sahara Group companies seeking payment of long-pending salaries.
A bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai was urged by lawyers to take up the employees’ pleas along with Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd.’s (SICCL) main application already scheduled for November 17. The workers told the court they had not been paid for several months. “Ok. They will be listed,” the CJI responded.
On October 14, the bench headed by CJI Gavai had sought responses from the Union government, SEBI and other stakeholders on SICCL’s application seeking permission to sell 88 prime immovable properties to Adani Properties Private Limited.
On Friday, the court also heard SICCL’s interlocutory application in the long-pending Sahara refunds matter. After noting submissions by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, the bench ordered that the Union ministries of finance and cooperation be made parties to the proceedings and asked them to file their responses by November 17.
The court further directed the amicus curiae, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, to collate complete details of the 88 properties proposed to be transferred to the Adani Group entity. He was also asked to examine the responses filed by various stakeholders and clarify whether the properties are clean or subject to disputes.
“We will decide on whether the properties are to be sold piecemeal or in one flock,” the CJI observed during the hearing.
The bench also directed the Sahara Group to examine claims of workers who have not received salaries “for many years”. It asked the amicus curiae to independently assess the employees’ dues and arrears. The matter will be considered on the next date of hearing.
All pending applications, including the intervention plea and SICCL’s request seeking approval for the property sale, will be taken up together on November 17.
