A Division Bench of the High Court has ordered the arrest of union workers if they obstruct loading and unloading of timber using crane at a timber depot in Kottayam because of non-payment of ‘nokkukooli’.
The Bench passed the verdict while closing a contempt of court petition filed by Shahul Hameed, a timber merchant at Kanjirappally in Kottayam.
He said the Headload Workers Association, CITU, Kottayam unit, had warned him against using cranes for loading and unloading at his depot.
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They insisted that workers registered with the unions be engaged for the work.
Despite lodging a complaint with the police, no action had been taken. As a result, the petitioner was being forced to pay the union leaders a nokkukooli of ₹25,000.
The court pointed out that the practice of demanding nokkukooli had been deprecated by the court for decades. But it still continues.
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Bail only from HC
The court ordered the police to ensure that if the petitioner complains against members of the AICTU or CITU in this regard, the persons mentioned in the complaint be arrested and reported to the High Court, which alone would deal with their bail applications. If the petitioner complained that the police had not taken any action, the court would take appropriate action against the police.