New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to take up on Monday the interim petitions filed by employees of the Sahara Group companies who have sought immediate payment of their long-pending salaries. The appeals, moved by staff members who say they have gone without pay for several months, were mentioned before Chief Justice B R Gavai on Friday, with lawyers requesting urgent listing. The matter now appears in the apex court’s cause list for Monday, when a bench headed by the CJI is expected to hear it.
These employee pleas come at a time when the court is already examining a significant application filed by Sahara India Commercial Corporation Ltd (SICCL). The company has sought permission to sell 88 of its prime properties to Adani Properties Private Limited as part of efforts to arrange funds in the long-running case concerning Sahara Group’s refund obligations. This larger plea is scheduled for detailed hearing on November 17.
On October 14, the top court had asked the Centre, SEBI and other stakeholders to file their responses to SICCL’s request for the proposed sale. During earlier hearings, the bench — which includes Justices Surya Kant and M M Sundresh — took note of submissions made by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and directed that the Union ministries of Finance and Cooperation be added as parties. Their responses have also been sought by November 17.
The court instructed amicus curiae, senior advocate Shekhar Naphade, to compile comprehensive details of all 88 properties proposed for sale, including their status, disputes, and other stakeholder objections. The bench said these details would help determine whether the assets should be sold individually or as a single block.
Additionally, the court asked Sahara Group to verify the claims of workers alleging non-payment of salaries for years. The amicus curiae has also been tasked with examining these claims so they can be taken up at the next hearing.
All pending applications — including the employees’ intervention plea and SICCL’s property-sale request — are slated for consideration on November 17.
