Debasish Kar Gupta, J. - (1.) THIS writ application is directed against orders dated July 7, 2010 and November 18, 2010 passed by the Controlling Authority under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972 in Gratuity Case No. G -35/2009.
(2.) BY virtue of an order dated July 7, 2010, the respondent No. 1 decided the question of maintainability of an application under the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. By virtue of the order dated November 18, 2010, the above application was disposed of oh merit. It is submitted by the learned Counsel appearing for the writ petitioners that the respondent No. 1 had no jurisdiction to take up the above matter in view of the provisions of Clause (a) of sub -section (3) of section 1 of the Payment of Gratuity Act, 1972. According to the writ petitioners, the total number of employees of the writ petitioner No. 1, namely, M/s. Ranabeer Automobiles was less than ten at the material point of time.
(3.) THE above submissions made on behalf of the writ petitioners are vividly opposed by the learned Counsel appearing for the respondent No. 3.;