Judgement

BHAGWATI, J.: The three appeals with special leave from the orders of the High Court of Punjab and three petitions under Art. 32 of the Constitution challenge the vires of the industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (XIV of 1947) hereinafter referred to as the Act.

2. The appellants in the three appeals are engaged in the manufacture and production of textiles. There were disputes between them and their workmen, and by two notifications each dated March 4, 1955, in regard to the first two of them and by a notification dated February 25, 1955, in respect of the third, the State of Punjab, respondent No. 2, referred the said disputes for adjudication to the 2nd Punjab Industrial Tribunal, Amritsar, respondent No.1, who entered upon the said references and issued notices to the appellants to file, their written statements. The appellants in Civil Appeal No. 335 of 1955 filed their written statement on March 31, 1955, without prejudice to their contentions that respondent No. 2 was not competent to refer the disputes for adjudication by respondent No.1 and that respondent No.1 had no jurisdiction to entertain the reference. The appellants in Civil Appeals Nos. 333 and 334 of 1955 were c