Industrial Disputes Act, 1947

Section 9. Finality of orders constituting Boards, etc.

(1) No order of the appropriate government or of the Central Government appointing any person as the Chairman or any other member of a Board or court or as the presiding officer of a Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall be called in question in any manner; and no act or proceeding before any Board or court shall be called in question in any manner on the ground merely of the existence of any vacancy in, or defect in the constitution of, such Board or court.

(2) No settlement arrived at in the course of a conciliation proceeding shall be invalid by reason only of the fact that such settlement was arrived at after the expiry of the period referred to in sub-section (6) of section 12 or sub-section (5) of section 13, as the case may be.

(3) Where the report of any settlement arrived at in the course of conciliation proceeding before a Board is signed by the Chairman and all the other members of the Board, no such settlement shall be invalid by reason only of the casual or unforeseen absence of any of the members (including the Chairman) of the Board during any stage of the proceeding.]

Section 9A. Notice of change

No employer, who proposes to effect any change in the conditions of service applicable to any workman in respect of any matter specified in the Fourth Schedule, shall effect such change,-

(a) without giving to the workmen likely to be affected by such change a notice in the prescribed manner of the nature of the change proposed to be effected; or

(b) within twenty-one days of giving such notice:

PROVIDED that no notice shall be required for effecting any such change-

(a) where the change is effected in pursuance of any 61[ settlement or award]; or

(b) where the workmen likely to be affected by the change are persons to whom the Fundamental and Supplementary Rules, Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, Civil Services (Temporary Service) Rules, Revised Leave Rules, Civil Services Regulations, Civilians in Defense Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules or the Indian Railway Establishment Code or any other rules or regulations that may be notified in this behalf by the appropriate Government in the Official Gazette, apply.]

Section 9B. Power of government to exempt

Where the appropriate government is of opinion that the application of the provisions of section 9A to any class of industrial establishments or to any class of workmen employed in any industrial establishment affect the employers in relation thereto so prejudicially that such application may cause serious repercussion on the industry concerned and that public interest so requires, the appropriate government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct that the provisions of the said section shall not apply or shall apply, subject to such conditions as may be specified in the notification, to that class of industrial establishments or to that class of workmen employed in any industrial establishment.

Section 10. Reference of disputes to Boards, courts or Tribunals

(1) 63[Where the appropriate government is of opinion that any industrial dispute exists or is apprehended, it may at any time], by order in writing-

(a) refer the dispute to a Board for promoting a settlement thereof; or

(b) refer any matter appearing to be connected with or relevant to the dispute to a court for inquiry; or

64[(c) refer the dispute or any matter appearing to be connected with, or relevant to, the dispute, if it relates to any matter specified in the Second Schedule, to a Labor Court for adjudication; or

(d) refer the dispute or any matter appearing to be connected with, or relevant to, the dispute , whether it relates to any matter specified in the Second Schedule or the Third Schedule, to a Tribunal for adjudication:

PROVIDED that where the dispute relates to any matter specified in the Third Schedule and is not likely to affect more than one hundred workmen, the appropriate government may, if it so thinks fit, make the reference to a Labor Court under clause (c):]

65[PROVIDED FURTHER that] where the dispute relates to a public utility service and a notice under section 22 has been given, the appropriate government shall, unless it considers that the notice has been frivolously or vexatiously given or that it would be inexpedient so to do. make a reference under this sub-section notwithstanding that any other proceedings under this Act in respect of the dispute may have commenced:

66[PROVIDED ALSO that where the dispute in relation to which the Central Government is the appropriate government, it shall be competent for that government to refer the dispute to a Labor Court or an Industrial Tribunal, as the case may be, constituted by the State Government]

67[(1A) Where the Central Government is of opinion that any industrial dispute exists or is apprehended and the dispute involves any question of national importance or is of such a nature that industrial establishments situated in more than one State are likely to be interested in, or affected by, such dispute and that the dispute should be adjudicated by a National Tribunal, then, the Central Government may, whether or not it is the appropriate government in relation to that dispute, at any time, by order in writing, refer the dispute or any matter appearing to be connected with, or relevant to, the dispute, whether it relates to any matter specified in the Second Schedule or the Third Schedule to a National Tribunal for adjudication.]

(2) Where the parties to an industrial dispute apply in the prescribed manner, whether jointly or separately, for a reference of the dispute to a Board, court, 68[Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal], the appropriate government, if satisfied that the persons applying represent the majority of each party, shall make the reference accordingly.

29[(2A) An order referring an industrial dispute to a Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal under this section shall specify the period within which such Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall submit its award on such dispute to the appropriate government:

PROVIDED that where such industrial dispute is connected with an individual workman, no such period shall exceed three months:

PROVIDED FURTHER that where the parties to an industrial dispute apply in the prescribed manner, whether jointly or separately, to the Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal for extension of such period or for any other reason, and the presiding officer of such Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal considers it necessary or expedient to extend such period, he may for reasons to be recorded in writing, extend such period by such further period as he may think fit:

PROVIDED ALSO that in computing any period specified in this sub-section, the period, if any, for which the proceedings before the Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal had been stayed by any injunction or order of a civil court shall be excluded:

PROVIDED ALSO that no proceedings before a Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall lapse merely on the ground that any period specified under this sub-section had expired without such proceedings being completed.]

(3) Where an industrial dispute has been referred to a Board,68[Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] under this section, the appropriate Government may by order prohibit the continuance of any strike or lock-out in connection with such dispute which may be in existence on the date of the reference.

34[ (4) Where in an order referring an industrial dispute to 68[a Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] under this section or in a subsequent order, the appropriate government has specified the points of dispute for adjudication, 68[the Labor Court or the Tribunal or the National Tribunal, as the case may be,] shall confine its adjudication to those points and matters incidental thereto.

(5) Where a dispute concerning any establishment or establishments has been, or is to be, referred to a 69[Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal] under this section and the appropriate government is of opinion, whether on an application made to it in this behalf or otherwise, that the dispute is of, such a nature that any other establishment, group or class of establishments of a similar nature is likely to be interested in, or affected by, such dispute, the appropriate government may, at the time of making the reference or at any time thereafter but before the submission of the award, include in that reference such establishment, group or class of establishments, whether or not at the time of such inclusion any dispute exists or is apprehended in that establishment, group or class of establishments.]

70[ (6) Where any reference has been made under sub-section (1A) to a National Tribunal, then notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, no Labor Court or Tribunal shall have jurisdiction to adjudicate upon any matter which is under adjudication before the National Tribunal, and accordingly-

(a) if the matter under adjudication before the National Tribunal is pending in a proceeding before a Labor Court or Tribunal, the proceeding before the Labor Court or the Tribunal, as the case may be, insofar as it relates to such matter, shall be deemed to have been quashed on such reference to the National Tribunal; and

(b) it shall not be lawful for the appropriate government to refer the matter under adjudication before the National Tribunal to any Labor Court or Tribunal for adjudication during the pendency of the proceeding in relation to such matter before the National Tribunal.

18[ExplanationIn this sub-section “Labor Court” or “Tribunal” includes any court or Tribunal or other authority constituted under any law relating to investigation and settlement of industrial disputes in force in any State.]

(7) Where any industrial dispute, in relation to which the Central Government is not the appropriate government, is referred to a National Tribunal, then, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, any reference in section 15, section 17, section 19, section 33A, section 33B and section 36A to the appropriate government in relation to such dispute shall be construed as a reference to the Central Government but, save as aforesaid and as otherwise expressly provided in this Act, any reference in any other provision of this Act to the appropriate government in relation to that dispute shall mean a reference to the State Government.]

29[(8) No proceedings pending before a Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal in relation to an industrial dispute shall lapse merely by reason of the death of any of the parties to the dispute being a workman, and such Labor Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall complete such proceedings and submit its award to the appropriate government.]

Section 10A. Voluntary reference of disputes to arbitration

(1) Where any industrial dispute exists or is apprehended and the employer and the workman agree to refer the dispute to arbitration, they may, at any time before the dispute has been referred under section 10 to a Labor Court or Tribunal or National Tribunal by a written agreement, refer the dispute to arbitration and the reference shall be to such person or persons (including the presiding officer of a Labor Court or Tribunal, or National Tribunal) as an arbitrator or arbitrators as may be specified in the arbitration agreement.

71[(1A) Where an arbitration agreement provides for a reference of the dispute to an even number of arbitrators the agreement shall provide for the appointment of another person as umpire who shall enter upon the reference, if the arbitrators are equally divided in their opinion, and the award of the umpire shall prevail and shall be deemed to be the arbitration award for the purposes of this Act.]

(2) An arbitration agreement referred to in sub-section (1) shall be in such form and shall be signed by the parties thereto in such manner as may be prescribed.

(3) A copy of the arbitration agreement shall be forwarded to the appropriate government and the conciliation officer and the appropriate government shall, within 72[one month] from the date of the receipt of such copy, publish the same in the Official Gazette.

71[(3A) Where an industrial dispute has been referred to arbitration and the appropriate government is satisfied that the persons making the reference represent the majority of each party, the appropriate government may, within the time referred to in sub-section (3), issue a notification in such manner as maybe prescribed; and when any such notification is issued, the employers and workmen who are not parties to the arbitration agreement but are concerned in the dispute, shall be given an opportunity of presenting their case before the arbitrator or arbitrators.]

(4) The arbitrator or arbitrators shall investigate the dispute and submit to the appropriate government the arbitration award signed by the arbitrator or all the arbitrators, as the case may be.

71[(4A) Where an industrial dispute has been referred to arbitration and a notification has been issued under sub-section (3A), the appropriate government may, by order, prohibit the continuance of any strike or lock-out in connection with such dispute which maybe in existence on the date of the reference.]

(5) Nothing in the Arbitration Act, 1940 (10 of 1940), shall apply to arbitrations under this section.]

Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
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