JUDGMENT

Prathiba M. Singh, J. (Oral)--This hearing has been done through video conferencing.

2. The Petitioner in the present petition has challenged the impugned order dated 10th June, 2019, passed by the Section Officer, Ministry of Labour, Government of India, by which it has been held that an industrial dispute of a contractual employee working with the Ministry of Labour is not covered under the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (hereinafter, "ID Act"), as the Ministry of Labour, executing a sovereign function for the Union of India is not an "industry" under the ID Act. The reference moved by the Petitioner, under Section 10 of the ID Act, has been rejected by the Respondent in the following terms:

"Sir,

I am directed to refer to the Failure of Conciliation Report No. ALC-III/8(95)17 dated 01/03/2018 from the ALC(Delhi) received in this Ministry on 31/01/2018 on the above mentioned subject and to say that, prima facie, this Ministry does not consider this dispute fit for adjudication for the following reasons:

"Industrial dispute of a contractual employee working in the Ministry of Labour is not converted under ID Act as Ministry of Labour executing sovereign function for the Un