In a move that would reduce litigation in cases of disputes arising over compensation to workers, the Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Employees' Compensation (Amendment) Bill 2016 that would raise the cap on amount of compensation to be taken up by high courts. Section 30 of the Employees' Compensation Act 1923 provides for appeal in high courts whenever the disputed amount of compensation is more than Rs.300. The bill seeks to raise this to Rs.10,000, which may be further increased through a notification later. The Bill also provides for increase in penalty for contravention of the Act to Rs.50,000 from the current Rs.5,000.It may be later raised to Rs.1lakh. The Employees' Compensation Act, 1923, provides for payment of compensation to workmen and their dependants in case of injury by industrial accidents, including certain occupational diseases arising out of and in the course of employment resulting in death or disablement. It provides for making it obligatory o