Relief: HC asks govt to help domestic workers with registration

The High Court on Thursday directed the state government to give wide publicity about facilities available to get online registration for domestic workers who cannot register themselves for purpose.

The Domestic Workers Rights’ Union claimed that the May 28, 2021 order makes registration in the Seva Sindhu portal mandatory for getting Rs 2,000 benefit, announced for the unorganized sector by the government.

The petitioner claimed that such an insistence would disentitle a large number of members from receiving the compensation.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, pointed out that though the state has given a large number of advertisements, it was not mentioned that the beneficiaries can approach common service centres along with the document and get the registration done.

“Perhaps the state government is proceeding on the assumption that all domestic workers can use the internet and upload photos and employment certificates,” the court said, asking the government to give wide publicity to agencies that can be used by the domestic workers to register themselves.

The court also directed the petitioners to depute representatives to various common service offices with a view to ascertain the facilities claimed by the government are available.