KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the State police chief to issue a circular to all the police stations and the competent authority under the Kerala Headload Workers Act asking them to register a case for extortion as well as under other applicable offenses under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against the workers, trade unions and its leaders who demand 'Nokkukooli.'
Emphasizing the need for banning the 'Nokkukooli' system in Kerala, the court observed that the demand for 'Nokkukooli' should be treated as extortion.
Justice Devan Ramachandran issued the directive when a petition filed by TK Sundaresan, Punalur, Kollam against trade unions demanding 'Nokkukooli' for unloading construction materials at his land came up for hearing.
The Government pleader submitted that the government was intended to amend the Kerala Headload Workers Act and grant power to the competent authority under the Act to expel the workers who were established to have demanded 'Nokkukooli' along with the imposition of heavy penalties on such persons.
The court directed the State police chief to issue the circular by December 8 and file a report in this regard.
The court said that in view of the deleterious tendency to demand 'Nokkukooli' that had held sway for the last several decades, it was certain that such a circular would have to be issued by the State police chief. Trade union leaders in the state become more powerful in the state. The court said that it has got information that the 'Nokkukooli' system is still existing several parts of the state.
The court observed that "you had created a monopoly for a set of people because they thought they were vulnerable at one point in time. The irony is that what was intended for the benefits in the 60s and 70s had become a measure for extortion. It had destroyed the name of the state all over the country. The fact remained that people starts associating Kerala with militant trade unionism. It should be stopped. The trade union leaders and the workers should be told that the demand for 'Nokkukoolli' was tantamount to extortion." The government had passed an order abolishing 'Nokkukooli' but it continues.
The court also directed the State government to inform the court about the progress in the decision to amend the Act.
The court posted the case for further hearing on December 8.