(1) FATE of this appeal hinges on the answer which we ultimately give to the short question "whether the appeals pending in the court of the District Judge under Section 17 of the Payment of Wages Act, were liable to be transferred to the Administrative tribunals under Section 29 of the Administrative tribunals Act, 1985 for disposal on merits or the jurisdiction of the Authority under Section 15 and that of the District Judge under Section 17 of the Payment of Wages Act to hear and decide Claim Cases and Appeals, respectively remain undisturbed

(2) THE appellant was an employee of the respondent. On 23/11/1987 he filed an application under Section 15 of the Payment of Wages Act for recovery of an amount of Rs. 48,274.50 p. on the allegations, inter alia, that the respondent had illegally withheld and had also made unauthorised deductions from his wages progressively over a considerable period of time. This application was registered as Case No. 407 of 1987, notice whereof was issued to the respondent, who after putting in appearance, absented on a number of dates and ultimately the Authority passed an order that the case would proceed ex parte against him. The respo