Food Corporation Of India Workers Union vs Food Corporation Of India And Anr

The Supreme Court held that the denial of equal wages and benefits to workers under the Direct Payment System (DPS) compared to departmental workers of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, establishing the principle of 'equal pay for equal work'. The Court emphasized that the nature of work performed by both categories of workers is substantially the same, and thus, the FCI is obligated to provide equal treatment. The petition was allowed, directing the FCI to grant the same wages and benefits to DPS workers as those received by departmental workers.