STATE OF ANDHRA PRADESH vs NARAYANA VELUR BEEDI MANUFACTURING FACTORY & OTHERS

The Supreme Court held that under Section 9 of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948, Government officials can be considered 'independent persons' in the context of advisory committees for minimum wage fixation. The Court clarified that the mere employment of these officials by the Government does not disqualify them from providing impartial advice, as their role is to offer guidance based on their expertise. The judgment overruled previous cases that suggested otherwise, establishing that the independence of committee members must be assessed on a case-by-case basis.