UNION OF INDIA vs PUNNILAL .

The Supreme Court held that the authority under the Payment of Wages Act lacks jurisdiction to entertain a claim for back-wages when the claimant has previously sought a declaration for promotion without including a claim for back-wages, as per Order 2 Rule 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure. The Court found that the respondent's earlier suit for promotion did not encompass a claim for back-wages, thus barring the subsequent claim. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, and the order of the authority under the Payment of Wages Act was set aside.