Employees’ State Insurance Act, 1948
85B. Power to recover damages
(1) Where an employer fails to pay the amount due in respect of
any contribution or any other amount payable under this Act, the Corporation
may recover 126[from the employer by way of penalty such damages not
exceeding the amount of arrears as may be specified in the regulations]:
PROVIDED that before recovering such damages, the
employer shall be given a reasonable opportunity of being heard :
127 [PROVIDED FURTHER that the Corporation may reduce
or waive the damages recoverable under this section in relation to an
establishment which is a sick industrial company in respect of which a scheme
for rehabilitation has been sanctioned by the Board for Industrial and
Financial Reconstruction established under section 4 of the Sick Industrial
Companies (Special Provisions) Act, 1985, subject to such terms and conditions
as may be specified in regulations.]
(2) Any damages recoverable under sub-section(I) may be
recovered as an arrear of land revenue 127[or under section 45C to
section 45-I].