Judgement

HIDAYATULLAH, J. :- The Industrial Tribunal, Madras by its award, September 2, 1964 has held that the management of the Gymkhana Club, Madras is not liable to pay bonus to its workmen for the year 1962, as the Club is not an industry . The Madras Gymkhana club Employees Union now appeals to this Court by special leave.

2. The Madras Gymkhana Club is admittedly a members club and not a proprietary club. On December 31, 1962 its membership was about 1,200 with 800 active members. The object of the club is to provide a venue for sports and games and facilities for recreation and entertainment. For the former, it maintains a golf course, tennis courts, rugby and football grounds and has made arrangement for billiards, pingpong and other indoor games. As part of the latter activities it arranges dance, dinner and other parties and runs a catering department which provides food and refreshments not only generally but also for dinners and parties on special occasions. The club employs ax officers (a Secretary, a Superintendent and four Accountants and Cashiers), twenty clerks and a large number of peons, stewards, butlers, gate-attendants, etc. Its catering department has a sep