Employer–employee relationship may be proved by the whole record

The relationship must be assessed from the evidence as a whole. A denial in an initial counter-affidavit is not conclusive by itself. The employer’s later testimony may clarify an earlier denial. Cross-examination and re-examination form part of the evidentiary record. The Commissioner relied on oral and documentary material. The vehicle owner admitted that the deceased worked for him. The Supreme Court accepted that factual finding. A finding supported by evidence should not be displaced on a mistaken reading. Panganti Vijaya v. United India Insurance Company Ltd. & Ors. | 2026 INSC 9