Balwant Rai Saluja & Anr Etc.Etc vs Air India Ltd.& Ors

The Supreme Court addressed the issue of whether workmen engaged in statutory canteens through a contractor can be considered employees of the principal employer, Air India Ltd., under the Factories Act, 1948. The Court held that the workmen are deemed employees of Air India, emphasizing the need to pierce the corporate veil of the Hotel Corporations of India Ltd. to ascertain the true employer-employee relationship. The judgment overruled the High Court's decision that denied the workmen's claims, thereby affirming their rights under the Act, 1948.