Prez gives nod to Delhi Working Journalist Amendment Act 2015

The ‘Delhi Working Journalist Amendment Act 2015', which seeks to ensure ‘effective implementation' of the Majithia Wage Board awards and provides penal provisions, including imprisonment of up to one year, in case of non-adherence to the Act, has been finally approved by President Ram Nath Kovind.

In December 2015, the Delhi Assembly had passed the Bill seeking to amend the Working Journalists Act for effecting changes in the existing law.

Labour Minister Gopal Rai on Thursday said that Delhi has become “the first state” to bring amendments in the law to ensure “effective implementation” of the Majithia Wage Board in the country.

As per the law, which is applicable to Delhi-based media organisations, contractual employees will be treated as working journalists.

“In case of non-payment of the due wages to an employee, the employer will be punishable with imprisonment of either description which may extend to six months or fine which may extend to two hundred rupees per employee per day or with both, till the offence is continued,” a Delhi governments notification stated.

Earlier, the Centre held up this amendement Bill for the last two-and-a-half years.

Meanwhile, a large number of newspapers have shifted their offices to Noida and neighbouring state Haryana.

The notification was issued by the department of Law, Justice and Legislative Affairs.

The Act also empowers authorities concerned to direct payment of “compensation not exceeding five times the amount of the wages due to the newspaper employees”, in case of complaints.

Employees, who have been denied the wages due to them under the award now have to approach the office of the Labour Commissioner with individual petitions for claims, along with calculations of amounts due to them.

They can do so in groups so that their individual petitions are bunched together. These claims will then be examined. Where the claims are disputed by managements - which is likely in all cases - there will be hearings.

According to the new law, violations attract fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 and jail term of up to one year.