Employers Cannot Be Forced to Retain Contractual Employees : J&K High Court

The J&K and Ladakh High Court ruled that courts cannot compel employers to retain contractual employees or alter employment terms. 

The Court dismissed a plea by 150 contractual healthcare workers from GMC Jammu, stating that contractual employment does not guarantee permanent jobs.

The petitioners were hired for temporary COVID-19 hospitals under a one-year contract, extendable to three years. As COVID-19 declined, hospitals closed, and the government denied further extension.

The court ruled that fixed-term contracts do not guarantee automatic job continuation but ordered the government to release pending wages if there were no legal obstacles.