The Bombay high court recently rejected a petition filed by BEST Worker's Union seeking to strike down certain provisions of the Motor Transport Worker Act — related to motor transport workers' working hours — terming it to be in violation of the right to life given in the Constitution of India.
The petitioner contended that requiring any motor transport worker to work beyond eight hours a day or more than 48 hours a week adversely affects the right to life of such workers and is consequently in violation of Article 21 of the Constitution.
However, a division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice M.S. Sonak was of the view that these are legislative matters and it is not for the court to declare that such a law will not apply to metropolitan areas.
