M/S. Dewan Chand Builders & Contractors vs Union Of India & Ors

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutional validity of The Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 1996, and related legislation, affirming that the levy under these acts constitutes a 'fee' as per Entry 97 of List-I of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. The Court dismissed the appeals challenging the High Court's ruling that these laws are within the Parliament's competence. The judgment reinforces the legislative intent to protect the rights and welfare of construction workers, a vulnerable segment of unorganized labor in India.