1962 (6) TMI 60 - HC - Indian Laws

Summary

Issues Involved:
1. Jurisdiction of the Labour Court under Section 33-C(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act.
2. Applicability of Section 25-FF of the Industrial Disputes Act to the workers' claims.
3. Liability of the company versus the Government under Section 6 of the Madras Electricity Supply Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1954.

Detailed Analysis:

1. Jurisdiction of the Labour Court under Section 33-C(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act:
The primary issue was whether the Labour Court had jurisdiction to entertain applications filed under Section 33-C(2) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947. The argument against jurisdiction was based on three contentions:
- Monetary Claims: It was argued that Section 33-C(2) only covers non-monetary benefits, and thus the Labour Court could not adjudicate monetary claims. The court rejected this by interpreting "benefit" to include both monetary and non-monetary benefits, citing precedents that supported this broad interpretation.
- Exclusive Jurisdiction of Industrial Tribunal: The contention was that only the Industrial Tribunal could decide on retrenchment issues under Section 25-FF. The court clarified that the Labour Court had jurisdiction over individual claims under Chapter V-A of the Industrial Disputes Act, and Section 33-C(2) provided a mechanism for enforcing these individual rights.
- Indemnity and Apportionment of Liability: It was argued that the Labour Court could not decide on indemnity issues between the company and the Government. The court agreed that the Labour Court's jurisdiction was limited to the worker's claims against the employer and did not extend to indemnity issues between the company and the Government.

2. Applicability of Section 25-FF of the Industrial Disputes Act to the workers' claims:
The court examined whether the transfer of the electricity undertaking constituted retrenchment under Section 25-FF. The key points were:
- Deemed Retrenchment: The court noted that Section 25-FF creates a legal fiction where the transfer of an undertaking is deemed to result in retrenchment, entitling workers to compensation unless specific conditions in the proviso are met.
- Conditions of the Proviso: The proviso to Section 25-FF exempts liability if (a) the service is uninterrupted, (b) the terms of service are not less favorable, and (c) the new employer is liable for compensation based on continuous service. The court found that:
- There was no factual discontinuity in service, satisfying condition (a).
- The terms and conditions under the Government were less favorable, particularly regarding the reckoning of past service, failing condition (b).
- The Government was not directly liable for retrenchment compensation based on previous service, failing condition (c).

3. Liability of the company versus the Government under Section 6 of the Madras Electricity Supply Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1954:
The court analyzed whether the liability to pay retrenchment compensation transferred to the Government under Section 6 of the Acquisition Act. The court concluded:
- Direct Liability: The Government's liability under Section 6 did not extend to direct liability to the workers for retrenchment compensation based on previous service.
- Statutory Liability: Section 25-FF imposes a statutory liability on the former employer (the company) for retrenchment compensation. This liability is not negated by the Acquisition Act.

Conclusion:
The court dismissed the appeal, affirming the Labour Court's jurisdiction under Section 33-C(2) and the applicability of Section 25-FF, holding the company liable for retrenchment compensation. The writ petition challenging the Labour Court's order was also dismissed, confirming that the conditions of the proviso to Section 25-FF were not met, thus entitling the workers to compensation.