Bengaluru, Apr 18 (KNN) The High Court of Karnataka has upheld the minimum wages notifications issued by the labour department in 2016 and 2017, increasing the minimum wages in industries.

The move came as a big relief for thousands of employees working in as many as 34 types of private industries in state.

Justice Krishna S Dixit has directed the employers to pay the minimum wages, which remained unpaid till now due to a stay order by the court, to the eligible employees/workers within a period of eight weeks with 6% interest.

However, the court quashed the directions to pay additional allowances like seniority allowance at the rate of 1% of the minimum wages for each completed year of service or otherwise, to the employees who have put in a service of ten or more years.

In addition, it quashed the notification directing the employers to continue to pay the current wages which are above the notified minimum wages.