MORINDA CO-OP SUGAR MILLS LTD vs RAM KISHAN AND ORS ETC

The Supreme Court held that the respondents, who worked only during seasonal periods, could not be considered retrenched under Section 2(oo)(bb) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The Court found that the cessation of work at the end of the crushing season does not amount to retrenchment as defined by the Act. Consequently, the judgments of the Labour Court and High Court were deemed illegal, and the appeal was allowed, directing the appellant to maintain a register of workmen and to offer employment based on seniority when the new season begins.