BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued notice to the state and central governments on a PIL seeking direction for registration of domestic workers under the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, and Unorganised Workers’ Social Security (Karnataka) Rules, 2009, which provide for registration of the workers and benefits under various schemes.
A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum issued notice after hearing the PIL filed by Domestic Workers’ Rights Union. The petition stated that, as per National Sample Survey, 39 lakh people -- 13 lakh male and 26 lakh female -- are employed as domestic workers by private households, though the actual number is likely to be much more.
The petitioner contended that it has submitted a representation to the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Board, raising a number of issues faced by domestic workers and seeking an appointment to discuss holding of a tripartite workshop but there was no response.
Placement agencies unregulated
Domestic workers have been included in the Minimum Wages Act and Sexual Harassment (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. However, there has been a complete failure in implementation of these Acts, and placement agencies continue to function unregulated, the petitioner claimed.