CHIEF MINING ENGINEER EAST INDIA COAL CO LIMITED BARAREE COLLIERY DHANBAD Vs. RAMESHWAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These appeals by special leave arise out of applications filed by workmen of the Appellant-company claiming bonus under the Scheme framed by the Central Government under the Coal Mines Provident Fund and Bonus Schemes Act, 46 of 1948 and railway fares and leave wages under the award of the Industrial Tribunal (Colliery Disputes) which came into effect as from February 22, 1954. The Central Government Labour Court at Dhanbad allowed their claim under Section 33-C (a) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947.

(2.) Mr. Gokhale for the appellant-company challenged the correctness of the Labour Court's decision and raised the following contentions:-

(3.) The contention as-to jurisdiction of the Labour Court depends on the true construction of Section 33-C (2) as it stood in 1962 when these applications were filed and before its amendment by Act 36 of 1964. Section 33-C (2) has so far been the subject matter of decision by this Court in three cases, viz., Punjab National Bank Ltd. vs. Kharbanda, (1962) 2 Suppl. SCR 977 , Central Bank of India vs. Rajagopalan, (1964) 3 SCR 140 and Bombay Gas Co. Ltd. vs. Gopal Bhiva, (1964) 3 SCR 709 .