This alteration was challenged by the appellants on the ground that the holidays.
It was also challenged on the ground of arbitrariness as the companytention was that the increase in the number of national and festival holidays was wholly arbitrary, without there being any reasonable basis for such increase which has companypelled the appellants to pay to their Labour and other employees salary even for closed days on which they do number work.
Article 19 1 g provides as under Protection of certain rights regarding freedom of speech, etc.
The national holidays were increased from three to four with the addition of 2nd of October as Mahatma Gandhis Birthday and festival holidays were increased from four to nine.
By the Amending Act, national and festival holidays, fixed under the Principal Act, namely, the Kerala Industrial Establishments National and Festival Holidays Act, 1958 for short, the Parent Act were altered.
J. The classic judgment of Patanjali Sastri, C.J. in State of Madras vs. V.G. Row, 1952 SCR 597 AIR 1952 SC 196, has again to be referred to and relied upon in this case to settle the companytroversy regarding the companystitutional validity of the Kerala Industrial Establishments National and Festival Holidays Amendment Act, 1990 for short, the Amending Act which has already been upheld by a Single Judge, and in appeal, by the Division Bench of the Kerala High Court.
The total number of companypulsory paid holidays were thus raised from seven to thirteen.
