In Brief
The Supreme Court held that temporary employees (daily-wage, ad-hoc, casual, or contractual workers) who perform identical duties as regular employees are entitled to minimum pay-scale wages with dearness allowance under the "equal pay for equal work" principle in the Constitution. The Court applied this to Punjab government workers appointed against regular posts. It rejected artificial distinctions based on recruitment method, disciplinary rules, or transferability. The Court clarified that pay parity differs from regularization; temporary workers need not become permanent to claim equal minimum wages. All concerned temporary employees in the cases were entitled to draw minimum pay of regular employees in equivalent positions.
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