REGIONAL DIRECTOR, EMPLOYEES STATE INSURANCE CORPORATION,MA vs SOUTH INDIA FLOUR MILLS (P) LTD. ETC. ETC.

The Supreme Court held that casual employees engaged in construction work for factory expansion fall within the definition of 'employee' under Section 2(9) of the Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948. The Court overruled the previous decision in Employees State Insurance Corporation v. Ghanambikai Mills Ltd., which had excluded such workers from the Act's purview. The Court emphasized that the definition of 'employee' is broad and includes any work connected with the factory's operations, thus affirming the appellant-Corporation's claim for contributions for these workers.