The Kerala High Court on October 7, 2021 lashed out at the practice of demanding nokkukooli (gawking wages) by headload workers in the State.
- The court said it did not want to hear the word nokkukooli any more. The use of the word should be discontinued. The court added that investors were scared to invest in the State because of the militant trade unionism.
- The court said, if an employer did not engage a headload worker, he/she was supposed to approach the competent authorities under the Kerala Head Load Workers Act instead of resorting to violence.
- Even 10 years after the order banning Nokkukooli was issued by the government, the menace still exists.
