Rajasthan High Court
Wanchoo C.J. and Bapna, J.
The Mewar Textile Mills Ltd. - Appellant
Versus
The Industrial Tribunal - Respondents
D.B. Civil Misc. Application No. 21 of 1951
Decided On : August 10, 1951
Section 9 of the Industrial Disputes Act bars the jurisdiction of the Civil Courts from calling into question of any appointment of an Industrial Tribunal "in any manner." But this section does not take away the jurisdiction of the High Court under Art. 226 of the Constitution and it is open to the High Court to consider the validity of an appointment.
The word decision used in S. 7 of Central Act XLVIII of 1950 means final decision and does not include an interlocutory order passed during the hearing of an industrial dispute.
Sec. 7(3)(a) of the Industrial Disputes Act, when it mentions a Judge of a High Court, means a Judge of the High Court of Judicature for Rajasthan established under the Rajasthan High Court Ordinance of 1949. A person, therefore, who had been a judge of a former covenanting slate can not claim to be qualified as a Judge of the High Court under S. 7(3)(a).
The direction that the appointment of a person not qualified under part (a) shall be made in consultation with the High Court is mandatory.
2. The main point that has been urged in support of the application is that the appointment is invalid, because Shree Sukhdeo Narain does not fulfil the qualification laid down for a Tribunal under sec. 7 (3) of the Industrial Disputes Act.
3. The main opposition to the application has been made by the State of Rajasthan. It is, in the first place, contended on their behalf that as there are other remedies open to the applicant, it cannot invoke the jurisdiction of this court under Art. 226 of the Constitution. In the second place, it is urged that Shree Sukhdeo Narain was qualified within the meaning of section 7 (3) of the Industrial Disputes Act.
4. We shall first deal with the objection that this court should not exercise its power under Article 226 of the Constitution, as there are other remedies open to the applicant. It is well settled that the extraordinary powers conferred on this court under Article 226 of the Constitution are not to be ordinarily exercised unless there is no other remedy open to an applicant, or, if any remedy is open at all, it is not as convenient, beneficial and effective as the remedy under Art. 226.
5. The contention on behalf of the State, in this connection, is two-fold. In the first place, it is submitted that it is open to the applicant to file a civil suit, and it is pointed out that, as a matter of fact, the applicant has given notice to the State under sec. 80 of the Code of Civil Procedure intimating its intention to file a civil suit. So far as this is concerned, we are definitely of opinion that it is not open to the applicant to file a civil suit in order to get a decree invalidating the appointment of the Industrial Tribunal. We may refer to sec. 9 of the Industrial Disputes Act, which reads as follows:—
"No order of the appropriate Government appointing any person as a member of a Board, Court or Tribunal shall be called in question in any manner."
These words are very wide, and, in our opinion, bar the jurisdiction of the civil courts in this matter. Reference may be made in this connection to section 9 of the Civil Procedure Code, which reads as follows :—
"The courts shall (subject to the provisions herein contained) have jurisdiction to try all suits of a civil nature excepting suits of which their cognizance is either expressly or impliedly barred."
The words used in sec. 9 of the Industrial Disputes Act prohibit the calling into question of any appointment of an Industrial Tribunal "in any manner." These words, in our opinion, impliedly bar the jurisdiction of the civil courts. Whether these words also bar the jurisdiction of this Court under Art. 226 is another matter with which we shall deal subsequently. The first remedy, therefore, of a civil suit is certainly not open to the applicant.
6. The alternative argument on behalf of the State is that even if it is not open to the applicant to file a civil suit, he has the remedy of going in appeal to the Appellate Tribunal constituted under Central Act XLVIII of 1950. Section 7 of that Act, among other things, provides that an appeal shall lie to the Appellate Tribunal from any award or decision of an industrial tribunal if the appeal involves any substantial question of
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