The Supreme Court of India has directed the Government of Goa to regularise the services of workers employed through the Public Works Department (PWD) Labour Supply Society, setting aside a July 2023 High Court order that had denied them relief.
The Supreme Court observed that a welfare state cannot benefit from decades of continuous service by workers and then discard them on the basis of technical or internal procedural flaws.

The court held that the appellant workers—who were granted "temporary" status in 2014 after years of service—are entitled to regularisation in their respective categories, and the State of Goa must frame a scheme within four months to implement the regularisation.

The Supreme Court further ordered that if sufficient sanctioned vacant posts are not available, the State must create one-to-one supernumerary posts. These personal posts will be automatically abolished upon a worker's retirement, resignation, death, or cessation of service.

The Supreme Court has clarified that regularisation will be deemed effective from February 9, 2021 (the date the individual writ petition was filed) for purposes of seniority and pensionary/retiral benefits. However, no monetary arrears of pay will be granted for any period prior to August 4, 2026. The benefit applies only to workers who were members of the PWD Labour Supply Society as of February 9, 2021, and cannot be cited as a precedent by non-parties.