Justice AM Sapre Declines Rs 20 Lakh Fee, Supreme Court Directs Payment Of That Amount To Tea-Estate Workers' Widows

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (April 23) directed the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam to identify cases where the widows of deceased tea workers are facing grave difficulties and disburse to them the amount which was to be paid to retired Supreme Court judge Justice AM Sapre.

A bench of Justice Abhay S. Oka and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan passed this direction after being informed that Justice Sapre has refused to accept the Rs. 20 lakh remuneration for his work in ensuring the disbursement of pending dues to tea estate workers.

The Court stated in its order, “Justice AM Sapre, retired judge of this court has expressed inability to accept the amount as directed by this court considering the cause involved. We really appreciate this gesture on the part of hon'ble retired judge. We honour his sentiments. We direct the state governments concerned to identify certain cases where the worker has died and his widow is facing grave difficulties. With the assistance of the amicus curiae, the States of Tamil Nadu, Assam and Kerala will identify deserving cases and pay the amount which was to be paid to Hon'ble Justice Sapre in terms of our order.”

On April 17, 2025, the Court had directed the States of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam to pay Rs. 5,00,000 each to Justice Sapre as one-time remuneration for his efforts. The Court noted that the tea estate workers in three states had started receiving their overdue amounts due to the efforts of Justice Sapre.

On Wednesday, Amicus Curiae Senior Advocate Gaurav Agarwal informed the Court that Justice Sapre has refused to accept the remuneration, and wished that the money go to the widows of deceased workers.

Agarwal said that in Assam, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, the quantification of workers dues has been done and the widows may receive some extra money from the amount these states were supposed to pay to Justice Sapre. He added that he would write to the labour commissioners to identify cases of widows who are in real need, citing the example of families with a girl child. Justice Oka said that some gross cases could be identified.

The Court also directed that as soon as the report regarding West Bengal is submitted, the same course as the other three states will be followed. The Court recorded its appreciation for the gesture of Justice Sapre as well as for the services rendered by him for the cause of poor workers working in tea estates.

Background

In 2006, the International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers filed a petition seeking payment of overdue wages and benefits. Despite a Supreme Court direction in 2010 ordering the disbursement of the dues, compliance remained incomplete, leading to the present contempt petition in 2012.

In 2020, the Court directed the States of Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal to pay Rs. 127 crores as interim relief to workers. The Court also appointed Justice Sapre as a one-person committee to calculate the dues. The committee reported that Rs. 414.73 crores were owed to workers and Rs. 230.69 crores to the Provident Fund Department.

In 2023, the Court ordered the state and central governments to pay Rs. 645 crores to 28,556 workers from 25 tea gardens, including those managed by Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL).

On December 9, 2024, the Assam government told the Court that it will pay the balance dues of Rs. 70 crores to plantation workers employed in 15 tea estates managed by the ATCL, a state-owned entity.

Case no. – Contempt Petition (C) No. 16/2012

Case Title – International Union of Food Agricultural & Ors v. Union of India

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