In Brief
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) engaged 955 workers through a contract labourers' Society at its Chennai branch but refused to regularize them as direct employees. The workers' Union claimed they were FCI employees entitled to regularization. The Industrial Tribunal found in favour of the workers, noting the contract had ended, FCI paid wages directly, the work was permanent, and FCI adduced no evidence to rebut this. The High Court upheld this twice. The Supreme Court dismissed FCI's appeal, holding that the concurrent findings were binding, FCI's failure to present evidence justified an adverse inference, and there was no perversity warranting interference.
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