PART III - POWER, PROCEDURE AND DUTIES


POWER, PROCEDURE AND DUTIES OF CONCILIATION OFFICERS, BOARDS, OURTS, LABOUR COURTS,TRIBUNALS, NATIONAL
TRIBUNALS AND RBITRATORS

9.         Conciliation proceedings in public utility serviced. -

(1)        The Conciliation Officer, on receipt of a notice of a strike or lock-out given under rule 71 or rule 72, shall forthwith arrange to interview both the employer and the workmen concerned with the dispute at such places and at such times as he may deem fit and shall endeavour to bring about a settlement of the dispute in question.

1[(2)     Where the Conciliation Officer receives no notice of a strike or lockout under rule 71 or rule 72 but he considers it necessary to intervene in the dispute he may give formal intimation in writing to the parties concerned declaring his intention to commence conciliation proceedings with effect from such date as may be inserted therein.

1.         The original rule 9 re-numbered as sub rule (1) and sub rule (2) added by G.S.R. 1220, dated 7th October, 1960.

10.       Conciliation proceedings in non-public utility service. -Where the Conciliation Officer receives any information about an existing or apprehended industrial dispute which does not relate to public utility service and he considers it necessary to intervene in the dispute, he shall give formal intimation in writing to the parties concerned declaring his intention to commence conciliation proceedings with effect from such date as may be specified therein.

1[10-A.Parties to submit statements. -The employer or the party representing workmen 2[or in the case of individual workman, the workman himself] involved in an industrial dispute shall forward a statement setting forth the specific matters in dispute to the Conciliation Officer concerned -whenever his intervention in the dispute is required.]

1.         Subs. by G.S.R. 857, dated 22nd June, 1961.
2.         Ins. by G.S.R. 1059, dated 30th May, 1968.

1[10-B. Proceeding before the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal. -

(1)       While referring an industrial dispute for adjudication to a Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, the Central Government shall direct the party raising the dispute to file a statement of claim complete with relevant documents, list of reliance and witnesses with the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal within fifteen days of the receipt of the order of reference and also forward a copy of such statement to each one of the opposite parties involved in the dispute.


(2)        The Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal after ascertaining that copies of statement of claim are furnished to the other side by party raising the dispute shall fix the first hearing on a date not beyond one month from the date of receipt of the order of reference and the opposite party or parties shall file their written statement together with documents, list of reliance and witnesses within a period of 15 days from the date of first bearing and simultaneously forward a copy thereof to the other party.

(3)        Where the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, finds that the party raising the dispute though directed did not forward the copy of the statement of claim to the opposite party or parties, it shall give direction to the concerned party to furnish the copy of the statement to the opposite party or parties and for the said purpose or for any other sufficient cause, extend the time limit for filing the statement under sub-rule (1) or written statement under sub-rule (2) by an additional period of 15 days.

(4)        The party raising a dispute may submit a rejoinder if it chooses to do so, to the written statement(s) by the appropriate party or parties within a period of fifteen days from the filing of written statement by the latter.

(5)        The Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, shall fix a date for evidence within one month from the date of receipt of the statements, documents, list of witnesses, etc., which shall be ordinarily within sixty days of the date on which the dispute was referred for adjudication.

(6)        Evidence shall be recorded either in Court or on affidavit but in the case of affidavit, the opposite party shall have the right to cross-examine each of the deponents filing the affidavit.  As the oral examination of each witness proceeds, the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall make a memorandum of the substance of what is being deposed.  While recording the evidence the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall follow the procedure laid down in rule 5 or Order XVIII of the First Schedule to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.

(7)        On completion of evidence either arguments shall be heard immediately or a date shall be fixed for arguments oral hearing, which shall not be beyond a period of fifteen days from the close of evidence.

(8)        The Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, shall not ordinarily grant an adjournment for a period exceeding a week at a time but in any case not more than three adjournments in all at the instance of the parties to the dispute :

Provided that the Labour Court Tribunal or national Tribunal, as the case may be, for reasons to be recorded in writing, grant an adjournment exceeding a week at a time but in any case not more than three adjournments at the instance of any one of the parties to the dispute.

(9)        In case any party defaults or fails to appear at any stage the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, may proceed with the reference ex-parteand decide the reference application in the absence of the defaulting party :

Provided that the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, may on the application of either party filed before the submission of the award revoke the order that the case shall proceed ex-parte, if it is satisfied that the absence of the party was on justifiable grounds.

(10)      The Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, as the case may be, shall submit its award to the Central Government within one month from the date of arguments oral hearing or within the period mentioned in the order of reference whichever is earlier.

(11)      In respect of reference under section 2-A, the Labour Court or Tribunal, National Tribunal, as the case may be, shall ordinarily submit its awards within a period of three months:

Provided that the Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, may, as and when necessary, extend the period of three months and shall record its reasons in writing to extend the time for submission of the award for another specified period.]

1.         Subs. by Industrial Disputes (Central) (Amendment) Rules, 1984 (w.e.f. 18-8-1984).

11.       The Conciliation Officer may hold a meeting of the representatives of both parties jointly or of each party separately

12.       The Conciliation Officer shall conduct the proceedings expeditiously and in such manner as he may deem fit.

13.       Place and time of hearing. - 1[Subject to the provisions contained in rules 10-A and 10-B] the sittings of a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or of an Arbitrator shall be held at such times and places as the Chairman or the Presiding Officer or the Arbitrator, as the case may be, may fix and the Chairman, Presiding Officer or Arbitrator, as the case may be, shall inform the parties of the same in such manner as he thinks fit.

1.         Ins. by S.R.O. 141, dated 31st December, 1957.

14.       Quorum for Boards and Courts. - The quorum necessary to constitute a sitting of a Board or Court shall be as follows-

(i)   In the case of Board
                     Quorum

Where the number of members is 3                                           2
Where the number of members is 5                                           3

(ii)        In the case of Court

            Where the number of members is more than 2                           1
            Where the number of members is more than 2
            But less than 5                                                              2
            Where the number of members is 5 or more                  3

15.       Evidence. -A Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or an arbitrator may accept, admit or call for evidence at any stage of the proceedings before it/him and such manner as it/he may think fit.

16.       Administration of oath. -Any member of a Board or Court or Presiding Officer of a Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or an arbitrator may administer an oath.

17.       Summons. Summons issued by a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall be in Form D and may require any person to produce before it any books, papers or other documents and things in the possession of or under the control of such person in any way relating to the matter under investigation or adjudication by the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal which the Board, Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal thinks necessary for the purposes of such investigation or adjudication.

18.       Service of summons or notice. Subject to the provisions contained in rule 20, any notice, summons, process or order issued by a Board, Court, Labour Court Tribunal, National Tribunal or an Arbitrator empowered to issue such notice, summons, process or order, may be served either personally or by registered post.

19.       Description of parties in certain cases. -Where in any proceeding before a Board, Court, Labour Tribunal or National Tribunal or an Arbitrator, there are numerous persons arrayed on any side, such persons shall be described as follows-

(1)        All such persons as are members of any trade union or association shall be described by the name of such trade union or association; and

(2)        All such persons as are not members of any trade union or association shall be described in such manner as the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or Arbitrator, as the case may be, may determine.

20.       Manner of service in the case of numerous persons as parties to a dispute. –

(1)        Where there are numerous persons as parties to any proceedings before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or an Arbitrator and such persons are members of any trade union or association, the service of notice on the Secretary, or where there is no Secretary, on the principal officer, of the trade union or association shall be deemed to be service on such persons.

(2)        Where there are numerous persons as parties to any proceeding before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or an Arbitrator and such persons are not members of any trade union or association, the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or Arbitrator, as the case may be, shall, where personal service is not practicable, cause the service of any notice to be made by affixing the same at or near the main entrance of the establishment concerned.

(3)        A notice served in the manner specified in sub-rule (2) shall also be considered as sufficient in the case of such workmen as cannot be ascertained and found.

21.       Procedure at the first sitting. -At the first sitting of a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, the Chairman or the Presiding Officer, as the case may be, shall call upon the parties in such order as he may think fit to state their case.

22.       Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or Arbitrator may proceed ex parte. -If without sufficient cause being shown, any party to proceeding before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or Arbitrator fails to attend or to be represented, the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or Arbitrator may proceed, as if the party had duly attended or had been represented.

23.       Power of entry and inspection. --A Board, or Court, or any member thereof, or a conciliation officer, a Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal, or any person authorised in writing by the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal in this behalf may, for the purposes of any conciliation, investigation, enquiry or adjudication entrusted to the conciliation officer, Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal under the Act, at any time between the hours of sunrise and sunset and in the case of person authorised in writing by a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal after he has given reasonable notice enter any building, factory, workshop, or other place or premises whatsoever, and inspect the same or any work, machinery, appliance or article therein or interrogate any person therein in respect of anything situated therein or any matter relevant to the subject-matter of the conciliation, investigation, enquiry or adjudication.

24.       Power of Boards, Courts, Labour Courts, Tribunals and National Tribunals. -In addition to the powers conferred by the Act, Boards, Courts, Labour Courts, Tribunals and National Tribunals shall have the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, when trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely

(a)        Discovery and inspection;

(b)        Granting adjournment;

(c)        Reception of evidence taken on affidavit;
And the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal may summon and examine any person whose evidence appears to it to be material and shall be deemed to be a civil court within the meaning of Sections 480 and 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.

25.       Assessors. - Where assessors are appointed to advise a Tribunal or National Tribunal under sub-section (4) of Section 7-A or sub-section (4) of Section 7-B or by the Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal under sub-section (5) of Section 11, the Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal as the case may be, shall, in relation to proceeding before it, obtain the advice of such assessors, but such advice shall not be binding on it

26.       Fees for copies of awards or other documents of Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal. -

1(1)     Fees for making a copy of an award or an order of a Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or any document filed in any proceedings before a Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal be charged at the rate of Re. 1. per page.]

(2)        For certifying a copy of any such award or order or document, a fee of Re. 1 shall be payable.                                     

(3)        Copying and certifying fees shall be payable in cash in advance.

(4)        Where a party applies for immediate delivery of a copy of any such award or order or document, an additional fee equal to one-half of the fee leviable under this rule shall be payable.

1.         Subs. by G.S.R. 116, dated 3rd February, 1987.

27.       Decision by majority. - All questions arising for decision at any meeting of a Board or Court, save where the Court consists of one person, shall be decided by a majority of the vote of the members thereof (including the Chairman) present at the meeting.  In the event of an equality of votes, the Chairman shall also have a casting vote.

28.       Correction of errors. -The Labour Court, Tribunal, National Tribunal or Arbitrator may correct any clerical mistake or error arising from an accidental slip or omission in any award it/he issues.

29.       Right of representatives. - The representatives of the parties appearing before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or an Arbitrator shall have the right of examination, cross-examination and of addressing the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal or Arbitrator when an evidence has been called.

30.       Proceedings before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal. -The proceedings before a Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal shall be held in public:

Provided that the Board, Court, Labour Court, Tribunal or National Tribunal may at any stage direct that any witness shall be examined or its proceedings be held in camera.


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