M/S. DEWAN CHAND BUILDERS & CONTRACTORS vs UNION OF INDIA .

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 statutes, affirming that the levy under these laws 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 enactments 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 the labor force.